FIA president’s latest attack on F1 media and odd British GP comment

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has once again taken aim at the way he is portrayed within F1 media.

Ben Sulayem has reiterated that he feels he has been unfairly criticised by sections of the media while speaking at the Dakar rally in Saudi Arabia.

In a seemingly unprompted rant, the 63-year-old Emiriti, whose governance of F1 has faced heavy criticism, said, as quoted by Autosport: “Three years of critics against me. Do I care? Was I elected to listen to the media? No. 

“I like the good media, the positive media and maybe I make a mistake, and you can come and criticise me in an objective way.”

Ben Sulayem, who has found himself at the centre of several controversies since being appointed FIA president in December 2021, stressed he has faced “unfair” treatment.

He also made a strange comment directed at the British Grand Prix being sponsored by Qatar Airways.

“Unfair. But the world is unfair. Saudi Arabia has reinvested a lot,” he told reporters in Saudi Arabia.

“You look at some of the British media and they go against Saudi Arabia or me. But one thing I would say, go on and see the British Grand Prix.

“Is it the British Grand Prix? No, it is the Qatar Airways British Grand Prix. Please, you remove the budget, you remove the money.”

Ben Sulayem’s previous press comments

In an interview with Autosport at last year’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Ben Sulayem took aim at the apparent bias which exists within the British press.

He was speaking after former Red Bull designer Adrian Newey told the High Performance podcast that both Max Verstappen and Sebastian Vettel had been unfairly treated by the British media.

Ben Sulayem agreed with Newey’s stance, saying: "I respect Max [Verstappen] because I'm a driver. I was a champion and I respect winners and champions," he said.

"I see he had his share [of mistreatment], but let's talk about me. If you look at the British media and what they did to me… For God's sake, they convicted me.

“They didn't accuse me [of anything], but they keep on [going]. And do I care? No. Why? Because what are they after? They are after selling and getting more coverage for them[selves]. Of course, yes.

"But they have no power over me and over the FIA.

"With due respect to the British media or any other media, they don't have a vote. We are an independent, democratic federation. It's the world of membership that elected me. The power is with the General Assembly, not with them.

"And you know what? Can we just stop this nonsense and go back to business and do what is better for the sport? If you can? I'm asking. If they [the media] don’t want to do that, it’s up to them.

"But life goes on. You know what they did to me? They made me stronger. I'm more careful now and more wise.

"And I have the support [of the member clubs]. And if and when the members decide that it’s time to change me as president, it's their call.

"At the end of the day, who put me there? It's the General Assembly, it's the members. I'm very, very clear with this. And if they don't like it, it's up to them."