According to a whistleblower, FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem allegedly directed officials to find reasons not to certify the Las Vegas Grand Prix circuit, as stated in a report by the FIA’s compliance officer to its ethics committee.
The report quotes the whistleblower as saying they were instructed by their manager, purportedly on behalf of Ben Sulayem, to fabricate concerns to prevent the FIA from certifying the circuit before the race weekend. The goal was reportedly to withhold the license by identifying artificial issues with the track, irrespective of their actual existence.
However, despite efforts to find faults with the circuit, officials ultimately certified it fit for the race after being unable to identify any concerns.
The reasons behind Ben Sulayem’s alleged directive remain unclear, but the Las Vegas Grand Prix was a significant event for Formula 1, with substantial investments made by commercial rights holders Liberty Media to promote the sport globally.
This controversy adds to a series of incidents involving Ben Sulayem since he assumed office in December 2021, including his involvement in the Christian Horner controversy during the Bahrain Grand Prix.
Additionally, there was criticism of Ben Sulayem for his intervention in a compliance inquiry into Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and his wife Susie over conflict of interest allegations, which Mercedes, F1, and other teams later withdrew following objections.
The FIA has not provided any official comments on the matter, and Ben Sulayem’s actions may lead to further legal repercussions.
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