F1 has reached the threshold for its patience with the FIA president and is now looking to get rid of him. As reported by Sport1, the power struggle between F1 and the FIA has seen Mohammad Ben Sulayem’s position as the FIA president come under threat.
The conflict, which has been growing for some time now, has escalated to a whole new level this year. It all started with the FIA president cozying up with Andretti Autosport and the organization’s plans to enter the sport, something that has been opposed by the teams and Formula One Management as well.
The introduction of a directive that prevents drivers from making political statements during a race weekend was introduced, which saw heavy criticism. The FIA president’s social media posts addressing the rumors of a possible sale of F1 at a value of $20 billion seem to be the final straw.
According to Sport1, Formula 1 management wants the current FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem to be sacked.
Instead of Ben Sulayem; David Richards, former Benetton and BAR team principal and founder of Prodrive, is requested to be his replacement.
[Sport1]
#F1 #Formula1
According to Sport1, Formula 1 management wants the current FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem to be sacked. Instead of Ben Sulayem; David Richards, former Benetton and BAR team principal and founder of Prodrive, is requested to be his replacement. [Sport1] #F1 #Formula1
Sport1’s report states:
“Liberty wants to get rid of the quick-tempered and uncomfortable Bin Sulayem. The Brit David Richards (70) as the new FIA President could therefore represent a compromise.” “According to SPORT1 information , the former team boss of Benetton and BAR should not be averse and is already in the starting blocks. But for that you would first have to be able to prove Ben Sulayem’s real misconduct.”
Who is F1 planning to replace current FIA president with?
According to the report, Mohammad Ben Sulayem’s successor could be Dave Richards.
Richards used to be a prominent member of the paddock in the 2000s. He is the former team principal of BAR (now part of Mercedes) and Bennetton (now Alpine) and was one of the more recognizable faces in the paddock at the time.
He joined F1 as a team principal more than 25 years ago when Benetton fired the charismatic leader Flavio Briatore. He was part of the team for a year but could not reach an agreement for a long-term contract with the team.
The 70-year-old returned to the sport in 2001 as BAR’s team principal and, among other things, was instrumental in bringing drivers like Jenson Button to the team. The team reached its peak in 2004 when it finished the second season in the championship. The Brit left the sport in 2004 and multiple attempts to get him back on the grid have been futile.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has become embroiled in multiple controversies ahead of the 2023 F1 season; debate over the possible entry of new teams to the grid, along with speculation over the sale of the sport’s commercial rights, have created major tension…
In Richards, F1 is looking at a more malleable and less disruptive president, something that Mohammed Ben Sulayem has often tended not to be.
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