Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, believes that the organization will never receive the recognition it deserves. The FIA has recently been under scrutiny for its strict action against drivers who use offensive language. Max Verstappen was previously given a community service order, and rally driver Sébastien Ogier was fined 30,000 euros.
In a conversation with Autosport, Mohammed Ben Sulayem emphasized that the FIA deserves more recognition than it currently receives. According to him, the organization has been partly responsible for the growing interest in racing, and Formula 1 in particular, over the past few years. “Everyone has made money from the FIA, except the FIA,” Ben Sulayem said. “Everyone gets to take the credit, except the FIA.”
Investment in Motorsport
The Arab leader explained that since his appointment in 2021, he has invested heavily and successfully in motorsport, but he never gets the credit for it. “When I took over, we incurred twenty million in operating costs,” he revealed. “Of course, parties like Liberty Media (owner of Formula 1) have done a great job – they have really put Formula 1 on the map. I wouldn’t want to change anything about that. However, people need to realize that the FIA has also played an important role in this.”
Role of the FIA
“Liberty Media is a fantastic promoter,” Ben Sulayem continued. “The FIA supports them in what they do. But the regulations and governance remain our work, and that’s where everyone ultimately makes money. We let the drivers have their fun, race safely, and make money. But we will never get recognition for that. Impossible. We only get complaints.”
