The adjective commonly used to characterise Mohammed Ben Sulayem's first term as president of motorsport's global governing body to date is 'controversial'. How could it fail to be, given that he took office in December 2021, amid the tumultuous fallout from the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the race-control decisions that changed the destiny of the Formula 1 World Championship?
That was a case of tidying up a mess not of his making. The real battle at the heart of the F1 flashpoints in Ben Sulayem's term since is what can most generously be called 'tension' between the FIA as F1's regulator and Liberty Media as F1's commercial rights holder.
The two sides must collaborate for the best interests of the series, but even when they're working closely together, there's always an undercurrent of discord that has the potential to flare into all-out war if given the right ignition point. It's well short of that today, though, with 'frenemies' perhaps the best way to characterise the relationship.
As one of the key players at the heart of this, Ben Sulayem has a character best encapsulated by his determination to fight for what he sees is right for the FIA. Interviewing the 61-year-old Emirati in the FIA's new motorhome over the Belgian Grand Prix weekend makes that very clear.
"No, never," says Ben Sulayem when it's put to him that he seems unafraid of a battle with Liberty, headed by former Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali. "I know where the FIA stands. Whom do I represent? The landlords, the owners of the championship.
"Yes, we leased it to Liberty Media and they're doing a great job. I have a good relationship with them. But we have to understand where we stand. This clarity is important.
"When you look at the rules, the [new-for-2026] power units or the expression of interest [for prospective new teams], the FIA has to have the first say."
This story is from the August 30, 2023 edition of Autocar UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the August 30, 2023 edition of Autocar UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE ONE WHEN PEUGEOT GOT ITS SUPERMINI MOJO BACK
The 208 marked a return to form for a maker renowned for its small cars
READY TO TOFF
Gordon Murray's grand new HQ is now nearing completion, with T50 production already in full swing. MATT PRIOR and STEVE CROPLEY drop by and go for a ride
This humble chip will change cars forever
Nvidia, the £2.7 trillion US tech giant behind it, has the power to shape motoring's intelligent future. JAMES ATTWOOD learns how
MERCEDES-BENZ V-CLASS
Interior upgrades make the MPV worthy of shuttling Merc's CEO himself
Sharing is caring
One successful motor trader has opened up his car collection for the benefit of his home town.JOHN EVANS meets him
When trains would take your car across the UK
The Channel Tunnel's Le Shuttle service is a marvel, saving drivers hassle and several hours on a ferry, and even after 30 years it's still something of a novelty to drive your car onto a train carriage.
MG ZS
Dacia Duster-chasing crossover joins MG's hybrid powertrain push
LAND ROVER DEFENDER OCTA
It's a 4x4 that thinks it's a supercar. But does this 627bhp V8 flagship offer the best of both worlds or just compromise each for the other?
Matt Prior
To nobody's great surprise, the other day the Renault 5 and Alpine A290 jointly won the 2025 Car of the Year award (the original and still the best of the big international car awards thingies).
DS WANTS TO BECOME 'LOUIS VUITTON OF CAR INDUSTRY'
It's aiming to follow Bentley into the luxury space, says design director
