The adjective commonly used to characterise Mohammed Ben Sulayem's first term as president of motorsport's global governing body to date is 'controversial'. How could it fail to be, given that he took office in December 2021, amid the tumultuous fallout from the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the race-control decisions that changed the destiny of the Formula 1 World Championship?
That was a case of tidying up a mess not of his making. The real battle at the heart of the F1 flashpoints in Ben Sulayem's term since is what can most generously be called 'tension' between the FIA as F1's regulator and Liberty Media as F1's commercial rights holder.
The two sides must collaborate for the best interests of the series, but even when they're working closely together, there's always an undercurrent of discord that has the potential to flare into all-out war if given the right ignition point. It's well short of that today, though, with 'frenemies' perhaps the best way to characterise the relationship.
As one of the key players at the heart of this, Ben Sulayem has a character best encapsulated by his determination to fight for what he sees is right for the FIA. Interviewing the 61-year-old Emirati in the FIA's new motorhome over the Belgian Grand Prix weekend makes that very clear.
"No, never," says Ben Sulayem when it's put to him that he seems unafraid of a battle with Liberty, headed by former Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali. "I know where the FIA stands. Whom do I represent? The landlords, the owners of the championship.
"Yes, we leased it to Liberty Media and they're doing a great job. I have a good relationship with them. But we have to understand where we stand. This clarity is important.
"When you look at the rules, the [new-for-2026] power units or the expression of interest [for prospective new teams], the FIA has to have the first say."
This story is from the August 30, 2023 edition of Autocar UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 30, 2023 edition of Autocar UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Poster car that went from rusty to trusty
One evening, two years ago, George Pappas was being driven down his local high street by a mate and mulling over whether to replace his Mk4 Golf diesel, a recent purchase that was boring him to death, when his girlfriend, also in the car, spotted an old BMW 3 Series at the side of the road with a 'for sale' sign in the window.
THE SEVEN-SEATER THAT VOLVO DARE NOT KILL OFF
The current-gen XC90 has been on sale since 2015 for good reason
GENESIS ELECTRIFIED G80
Where the story begins, in the Hyundai premium marque’s luxury saloon
LEXUSLBX
Can you shrink premium quality to fit an SUV this small? We now know
Rolls boss ready to 'define the next chapter'
Nine months into the job, Rolls-Royce CEO and car guy Chris Brownridge tells STEVE CROPLEY what he's learned and where the firm's heading
Once more, with feeling
AC Cars' recreation of the classic MkII Cobra is at first glance a faithful facsimile of a 1960s performance benchmark. SIMON HUCKNALL drives it
MERCEDES-BENZ CLE
Does a PHEV set-up work in a coupé that exudes such old-school vibes?
ANALOGUE SUPERSPORT
Lotus Elise specialist uprates 1990s icon with an eye on track days
ALPINE A290
The hot hatch is alive and well, and living in France. On both road and track, there's much to savour`
UK HANGS ON TO OLD CARS
Average car age climbs as high prices dampen demand for new models
