“I simply laughed,” says Mohammed ben Sulayem in response to presidential nominee Tim Mayer’s declare of a “reign of terror” inside the FIA underneath the Emirati.
Having missed the Austrian Grand Prix, Ben Sulayem was very a lot in proof at Silverstone on the weekend, however so was Mayer, who was accompanied by David Richards, head of MotorsportUK and one in every of a number of influential figures to have spoken out over the present president.
Insisting that there was a “failure in management” on the FIA at his press convention on Friday, Mayer mentioned: “These folks work very onerous. They deserve management that gives them with instruments, with a imaginative and prescient, with assets and greater than the rest doesn’t have a reign of terror each time they stroll into the workplace.”
Informed of Mayer’s remark, Ben Sulayem advised Reuters: “I laughed. I really had a smile. I mentioned whoever is saying this, they’re disconnected with the FIA. Truthfully.
“You go to the FIA and simply enter and see.” he continued. “Sit with them, inform them it is simply between you and them, and ask them the query. I believe perhaps he is complicated the interval.”
Beneath Ben Sulayem’s presidency there was controversy virtually from the beginning.
Although he wasn’t in place on the time of the controversial Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2021 he did oversee the next investigation.
Since then he has been at odds with F1, virtually to the purpose of authorized motion, together with drivers and members of his personal employees, leading to a major turnover of high-level folks.
His former Deputy President for Sport, Robert Reid, who resigned in April, mentioned that underneath Ben Sulayem “selections are being made behind closed doorways, bypassing the very buildings and other people the FIA exists to characterize””.
There was a lot criticism of the modifications to the FIA’s statutes which successfully give Ben Sulayem extra management, to the purpose that he can virtually choose and select who stands in opposition to him for the presidency, Carlos Sainz Snr having not too long ago deserted his plan to face.
“Have you ever ever learn any article the place I mentioned negatively a couple of single particular person?” Ben Sulayem requested Reuters. “That is not me,” he added.
Minded that as not too long ago as Might he had mentioned that he had “cleaned up the FIA home” and, based on Reuters, “rid it of enemies who wished to stab him within the again”, Ben Sulayem replied: “It isn’t as a result of they do not need to stab me, it is as a result of there isn’t any house left.
“Actually numbers don’t lie,” he added, “they (the members) are happier, they will see that the cash is invested again in. And in every part there’s governance.”
Of the upcoming election, the previous rally driver mentioned: “It is like placing your helmet and gloves again on. Actually, it jogs my memory of competitions, and competitors is at all times good.
“We now have such clear pointers that now you can’t fiddle round with something and that may by no means occur, not in my reign.”
To date, Mayer is the one different potential candidate.
Whereas the Austrian and British associations have been fairly vocal of their condemnation of Ben Sulayem’s presidency, on the weekend it was introduced that Anar Alakbarov, President of the Azerbaijan Car Federation since 2014, has been appointed to the FIA Senate.
