The 2024 season will mark the 23rd
year that I have watched Formula 1. In all this time it is difficult to
remember a period where the sport seemed more mired in the mud. Of course there
was, during this period, the infamous 2007 McLaren Spygate story, the fixing of
the 2008 Singapore grand prix by Renault, and the very genuine threat of a
breakaway series.
Those were unquestionably serious
cases of misconduct, but it seemed, for a good while at least, that the sport
had moved on from such highly detrimental sagas. But in 2024 F1 seems pinned
down in the gutter of controversy and debasement. Not only is the Red Bull saga
dominating every headline, but we have now learned that the FIA president,
Mohamed Ben Sulayem, is under investigation for allegedly interfering with a
race result.
A whistleblower, believed to be an
FIA compliance officer, has submitted a report in which Sulayem is alleged to
have ‘influenced’ the overturning of a ten second penalty handed to Fernando
Alonso at the 2023 Saudi Arabian grand prix. The penalty dropped Alonso from
third to fourth in the race results. However, the penalty was removed after
Aston Martin argued the team’s case to the stewards, or so it appeared.
As a reminder, Alonso received a
five second penalty for an incorrect starting position. He served this penalty
in the pits but was then given a ten second penalty as the pit crew were deemed
to have broken the rules by working on his car before the five second penalty
had elapsed. The second penalty was awarded after the completion of the race
and podium ceremony. Aston Martin appealed and appeared to present a convincing
argument. However, it is now alleged that Ben Sulayem was responsible for the
penalty being revoked.
But wait there is more. The report
from the whistleblower also includes Ben Sulayem’s certification of the Las
Vegas circuit. Depsite the circuit not being ready in time for inspection Ben
Sulayem signed off on the track. As it were, the circuit wasn’t ready as
Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz found out after hitting a loose drain cover, causing
significant damage and delays.
In a statement the FIA has said that
the Compliance Department are assessing the report submitted.
