Two accusations of race-fixing were made against FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem last season, but an investigation has since exonerated him.
After an independent investigation, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem was cleared of any allegations that he tampered with two races last year.
After allegations were made against the highest-ranking member of the Formula 1 team, they discovered “no evidence of interference.” First, it was suggested that Ben Sulayem attempted to tamper with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix outcome the previous year by overturning a penalty that Fernando Alonso had been incorrectly given.
Alonso received a 10-second time penalty during the race, but the ruling was later overturned, allowing him to finish on the podium. The FIA president was accused of attempting to impede the track certification procedure for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, which hosted Formula One for the first time last season.
The claims were looked into by the FIA Compliance Department, with outside advisors providing support. “The Ethics Committee unanimously concluded that there was no evidence to substantiate allegations of interference of any kind,” they stated.
The statement went on to say: “In accordance with Article 32.2.5 of the FIA Statutes, concerns regarding possible interference were brought to the attention of the FIA Compliance Officer and subsequently passed to the FIA Ethics Committee.
“A thorough and comprehensive independent review that lasted 30 days and involved 11 witness interviews came next. The FIA Ethics Committee’s decision was supported by substantial evidence that proved the allegations against the FIA President to be unfounded.
The Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team challenged the decision to reverse an additional penalty on Car 14, and the FIA President was accused of trying to tamper with the track certification process for the Las Vegas Grand Prix in 2023. However, the FIA President was found not guilty of any wrongdoing in relation to these allegations. The certification was finished and authorized on schedule.
“We greatly appreciate the President’s complete cooperation, transparency, and compliance throughout this investigation.”
Ben Sulayem, the president of the FIA, was under suspicion during the first two races of the season, but he has been cleared to compete in this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix. But his troubles are far from over, as the head of the sport must still handle the ongoing commotion surrounding Christian Horner.
The principal of the Red Bull team has been accused of acting inappropriately. After an internal investigation, he was found not guilty, but the accuser’s suspension from the organization and FIA complaint still stand.
