In the lead-up to the Qatar Grand Prix, Max Verstappen was able to have a constructive conversation with Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA. The Dutchman took the initiative to visit the Emirati’s office. During the discussion, they extensively discussed the controversial sanctions of recent months, among other things.
Typically, the interaction between the newly crowned world champion and the FIA president is limited to brief conversations and handshakes on the grid. However, Verstappen’s camp confirmed that the 27-year-old driver and Ben Sulayem had a formal conversation lasting at least half an hour prior to the Qatar Grand Prix. The series of sanctions imposed on Verstappen in 2024 was a primary topic of discussion. For instance, the FIA had previously issued a community service penalty for his use of the word ‘fucked‘ during a press conference.
‘Mature Conversation’
Verstappen and Ben Sulayem also discussed the recent unrest within the FIA. Several prominent figures have been dismissed or have announced their departure in the past few weeks. The recently dismissed steward Tim Mayer later accused the FIA president of ‘pushing his own opinion’. According to Mayer, this was the reason why drivers like Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc were penalized for foul language.
Insiders report that the conversation between Verstappen and Sulayem was ‘good and mature’. The meeting was already scheduled and was not influenced by the recent grid penalty imposed on the Red Bull driver. After the qualifying round on Saturday, the FIA ruled that Verstappen had hindered George Russell by ‘driving unnecessarily slowly’. As a result, the world champion received an unusual grid penalty of one place and a penalty point on his license.
