The beginning of 2024 certainly cannot be remembered as a simple and serene moment for Formula 1. After the case that involved and still involves Christian Horner, in the last few hours it is the FIA president's turn to be in the eye of the storm.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem is under investigation for alleged interference with the result of a Formula 1 Grand Prix. According to what was reported by the BBC, a whistleblower told the FIA that Ben Sulayem intervened to cancel a penalty imposed on Aston Martin Racing driver Fernando Alonso , during the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
This would be contained in a report by an FIA official addressed to the Federation's ethics committee, seen by the British television broadcaster.
The accusation made by the informant is that Ben Sulayem called Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamas bis Isa Al Khalifa, as well as vice-president of the FIA in the sports section regarding the Middle East and North Africa region, who was in Saudi Arabia for the great award in an official capacity, and made him understand that Alonso's penalty should be revoked.
The Oviedo native had received a 10-second penalty because the mechanics had touched his car while he was serving a 5-second penalty he had previously received. The penalty given to Alonso for this issue had caused him to miss out on the podium, causing him to fall from third to fourth. The withdrawal of the penalty, which then duly arrived, gave him the podium back behind Sergio Perez, winner of the race, and Max Verstappen.
The report compiled by compliance officer Paolo Basarri states that the whistleblower reported that Ben Sulayem “…demanded that the stewards reverse their decision to award the penalty to Alonso.
The ethics committee should prepare its report within 4 to 6 weeks.
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