Formula 1 continues to be a captivating sport, particularly in its approach to managing affairs. An example occurred last year at the Japanese Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen secured his second world title. However, while his victory at Suzuka was undeniable, the circumstances surrounding it left FIA President Mohammad Ben Sulayem discontented.
At last year’s Suzuka Circuit, heavy rain led to the postponement of the race start, resulting in only a 28-lap race. This raised questions about the allocation of full points, a crucial factor in the championship race, potentially favoring Verstappen.
Unexpectedly, the FIA’s decision to grant Verstappen and everyone else full points heightened the post-race suspense. This decision led to lingering uncertainty about the rules, a continuing source of irritation for Sulayem.
Reflecting on his dissatisfaction a year later, the Emirati initially told Motorsport.com, “We couldn’t justify that at all.” Moreover, the F1 president later mentioned that he continues to believe it’s unjust to solely attribute blame to the FIA for this situation.
He said, “The blame is always placed on us, the teams agreed on that. It wasn’t just the FIA that came up with this points system. It is the teams, the FOM, and us. But we always get the blame.”
How Ben Sulayem once justified his stance after one of the most controversial events in F1
Since assuming the position from Jean Todt in 2021, Ben Sulayem has consistently found himself embroiled in controversy. Whether it’s his financial crunch accusations against the former FIA president or the F1 vs FIA conflict, contentious issues have marked his tenure.
However, none of these matters may compare to the instance where the Emirati defended his role in the aftermath of Michael Masi’s most controversial decision in 2021. Ben Sulayem became the FIA president just five days after Lewis Hamilton dramatically lost the historic eighth world title.
At the Yas Marina Circuit, the race director, Michael Masi, neglected to enforce the appropriate Formula 1 rule, placing Hamilton at the mercy of Max Verstappen. In the aftermath of the controversial decision, the FIA conducted a comprehensive investigation, attributing the incident to human error.
As a result of this inquiry, Michael Masi was subsequently relieved of his position. Even though the authorities removed Masi, there was no public apology extended to the Mercedes maestro.
Considering this Sulayem said in an interview with PA Agency, “I always apologize, but I cannot apologize for something which was done before my time. OK, I will do the apology, but I will bring Michael Masi again. Do you think that is right?”
Nevertheless while wrapping up, Ben Sulayem compared Lewis Hamilton’s defeat to England’s 1966 World Cup final victory against West Germany. He said, “I even had people threatening me to kill me because I had the power to change it (the result). But I said to them: ‘Sorry, the World Cup of 1966, England against Germany, was that correct? Nein.”
