Ben Sulayem’s power play as F1’s future hangs on Concorde showdown in Bahrain

FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, will attend his first F1 race this season – this week’s Bahrain Grand Prix – the place he’s anticipated to change into engulfed in hypothesis in regards to the Concorde Settlement.

Ben Sulayem has been absent from races whereas he noticed the holy month of Ramadan throughout which F1’s staff signed a business settlement with the game’s rights holders, Liberty Media.

Generally known as the Concorde Settlement, it’s a three-party deal between the game’s groups, the rights holders and the governing physique that types the framework for the rules, governance and prize cash allocation. The settlement defines how the game is run and types the regulatory framework of grand prix racing whereas the opposite factor outlines the business phrases.

The present deal expires on the finish of this 12 months and the groups – together with new entrant for 2026, Cadillac – have agreed on phrases with Liberty Media, who made the announcement on the eve of the brand new season kicking off on the Australian GP.

An announcement launched from F1 mentioned: “System 1 can affirm that each one groups have signed the 2026 Concorde Business Settlement, which secures the long-term financial energy of the game.

“System 1 has by no means been in a stronger place and all stakeholders have seen constructive advantages and vital progress. We thank all of the groups for his or her engagement throughout this course of to achieve one of the best consequence for the game.”

Paddock sources suspect the transfer had caught the FIA unexpectedly, with some predicting that Ben Sulayem had anticipated the groups to have dug their heels searching for a greater monetary deal. In response to F1’s announcement, the FIA had insisted their their a part of the deal was “nearing completion” nevertheless, they’ve but to decide to the proposals.

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It signifies that Ben Sulayem will come underneath contemporary stress to elucidate the governing physique’s maintain up in signing the settlement.

Ben Sulayem has made no secret of the actual fact he’s in search of a larger monetary share for the organisation. He has pointed to the price of regulating F1 races, together with growing the calendar to 24 races. Ben Sulayem additionally desires to spend money on marshal coaching and creating a physique of stewards.

Nonetheless, there’s a worry that if he holds out for improved monetary phrases, it may trigger a tense stand off with Liberty Media – and the groups – who’re eager to get the settlement wrapped up.

The relationships between Ben Sulayem and F1 has come underneath the microscope after David Richards, the chairman of Motorsport UK, threatened to take authorized motion if the FIA didn’t tackle his issues about its governance of motorsport. Richards, 72, wrote an open letter final month wherein he mentioned the FIA’s actions underneath Ben Sulayem had been in breach of its personal statutes.

Richards added that there had been a “distinct failure” for Ben Suyalem to honour the pledges he made when he ran for election and has known as for full transparency, saying that the ultimate straw was when he was requested to signal a non-disclosure settlement for a current council assembly that he known as a “gagging order”.

The FIA has since responded, with a letter posted 9 April from the organisation’s common supervisor Alberto Villarreal which supplied a response, however no actual options to Richard’s issues, quite as he put it “dismissing these materials points.”

Whereas F1 and Liberty Media haven’t been drawn into the row, Richards’ issues had been duly famous and builds into the growing scrutiny on Ben Sulayem’s reign as he begins his bid to win a second time period as FIA president.

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