Sexism accusations are 'inhuman' says F1 boss

FORMULA One boss Mohammed Ben Sulayem has defended historic sexist remarks on his personal website in which he allegedly said he does 'not like women who think they are smarter than men.

- PHILIP DUNCAN

In a PA news agency interview, the 62-year-old Emirati elected to the biggest job in motorsport in December 2021 - vehemently denied claims of misogyny and said he had been the target of an 'inhuman' smear campaign.

In January, Ben Sulayem was quoted on an archived version of his old website saying that he does 'not like women who think they are smarter than men, for they are not in truth. At the time, the FIA said the comments, which date back to 2001, 'do not reflect the president's beliefs.

But personally addressing the remarks for the first time, Ben Sulayem told PA: "What did I say, if I said it? Let's assume it was (me). I tell you exactly what it said. It says: 'I hate when women think they are smarter than us.

"But they hate when men think they are smarter than them.