F1 Urged to Cut Ties With FIA Amid “Carnage” Under Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s “Dictatorship”

The FIA has faced significant backlash over its involvement in F1 in recent years, with the governing body’s president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, being one of the major figures at the center of the controversy. From the Abu Dhabi 2021 debacle to the jewelry ban, the swearing clampdown, and the recent introduction of financial penalty guidelines for swearing and misconduct — the list of the FIA’s controversies seems never-ending.

Amid this, several FIA employees have either resigned or received the pink slip. In fact, Ben Sulayem’s deputy, Robert Reid also put down his papers, earlier this month, citing that the FIA’s governance has fallen below the standards he expected it to abide by.

Even race director Niels Wittich had to leave his role late last season, marking the mysterious exit of yet another key figure at the FIA. Naturally, fans and experts within the F1 community have begun to question whether the motorsport governing body is functioning properly, given the number of controversies it has faced in F1 and the increasing number of key personnel departures.

F1 content creators Matt Gallagher and Tom Bellingham recently discussed the entire situation on the Paddock Project podcast. They even described Ben Sulayem’s tenure as FIA president as having turned into a “dictatorship” — something they believe needs to stop. They also feel that firm action is required from Formula 1 to address the situation.

“One potential solution that is always on the table is for the FIA and Formula 1 to break away from each other,” Gallagher said.

He added that while this would be a “nuclear launch” option, given the kind of “carnage” F1 has experienced from the FIA — particularly regarding censorship and financial penalties — it may ultimately become a necessary step for the betterment of the sport.

“It seems like everyone’s resigning or being fired in some form and it spell, in my opinion, not a good future for the sport due to this sort of dictatorship level that is going on at the FIA,” he added.

Even Bellingham felt that F1 could be forced to take desperate measures if the situation continues to worsen. However, it won’t be an easy move, as there is reportedly a 100-year deal in place between the two bodies — signed by former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone in 2000.

Nevertheless, Bellingham remained firm in his belief that a change in the FIA and F1’s relationship is necessary. Having previously described Ben Sulayem’s leadership as dictatorial, he did not shy away from calling out how the FIA is being run on “power and greed.”

That said, he also noted that a change in leadership at the governing body could bring about the kind of reforms F1 envisions. With the FIA presidential elections set for December 2025, there is hope that a new leader could begin to undo the damage caused under Ben Sulayem’s regime.

“If you had someone like Sebastian Vettel or Susie Wolff or someone like that in charge, they would be so much better and listen to all the feedback and understand what they want,” he added.

There have been reports suggesting that Wolff was in the running for the FIA presidency. However, the F1 Academy chief has turned down the prospect, recognizing that it could create a conflict of interest with her husband, Toto Wolff, serving as the team principal of the Mercedes F1 team.

Now, Vettel is a name every driver, team boss, journalist, and fan would accept as the FIA’s next leader. Given his deep understanding of drivers’ issues and the intricacies of the sport’s political fabric, the four-time world champion could do wonders as FIA president and overhaul the organization with fresh vigor.

For now, though, Vettel has shown no interest in pursuing such an opportunity. So, as things stand, Ben Sulayem does not have a strong opponent to challenge his presidency in the election later this year.