Written By Olivia Kairu, Edited by Gabriel Tsui
The 2025 motorsport calendar year marks the last in current FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s first tenure of three possible four-year stints. In this fast-paced sport, the Federation is the governing body that oversees the sport’s operation across several racing series and World Championships, holding its health in its hands.
As President, Ben Sulayem monitors the sport’s vitals with a proverbial ear to the murmur of engines and a finger on the pulse—checking for irregularities, warding off threats, and even anticipating those that could jeopardise the sport’s viability.
While the FIA’s reputation has become more synonymous with controversy than usual over recent years, it would be grossly undeserved to view the governing body and current leadership through a completely critical lens. So, with Ben Sulayem seeking a second term as President, let’s dive into the highs and lows of the current administration and what the future of motorsport could look like. There has been a marked rise in the popularity of all things motorsport, specifically after Liberty Media’s acquisition of Formula 1 (F1). With the change of hands from Bernie Ecclestone’s previous ownership, the racing series’ popularity has reached exponential heights with the help of an amalgam of factors, including Netflix’s Drive to Survive.
The FIA rode its momentum, expanding the sport’s reach to new audiences and regions through both media and race locations. Under Ben Sulayem’s FIA, F1 has introduced the Miami, Las Vegas, and Qatar Grands Prix, with plans for a potential return to Africa via South Africa’s Kyalami and a prospective Grand Prix in Rwanda.
The current administration has spearheaded a seismic rise in viewership for other racing series like Formula E, driven record ticket sales, made sustainability strides towards being Net Zero by 2030, and expanded motorsport engagement—even into niche markets like trading cards.
However, with all the success and growth, controversy has been a looming presence. FIA vs. DriversSticking with the health metaphors, the drivers could be considered the lifeblood of the sport, hurtling through windy, veiny racetracks of the FIA body. Unexpectedly, the Federation and drivers across multiple series have been at odds regarding issues beyond the usual racing incident decisions, making for a very dysfunctional body.
The most notable incident has been the recent update to the International Sporting Code (ISC) by Ben Sulayem. Article 12.2.1 of the ISC seeks to dole out punitive action, starting at a fine of €10,000, ramping up to €30,000, with the added severity of World Championship points deductions and a one-month race ban as the most drastic of measures. As the pinnacle of all things engine-fast, F1 is classified at Level 4 under the ISC, meaning that any fines are quadrupled, setting the lowest Article 12.2.1 fine amount at €40,000.
After the dropping of an f-bomb during post-race interviews at Rally Sweden, WRC Hyundai driver Adrien Fourmaux was the first to receive the baseline fine of €10,000, with a further €20,000 fine suspension. The issuing of Fourmaux’s fine triggered outrage from the world rally drivers and co-drivers through the World Rally Drivers Alliance (WoRDA).
The statement expressed concern for the “alarming increase in the severity of the sanctions imposed for minor, isolated and unintentional language lapses,” further referring to them as “reach(ing) an unacceptable level.”
The rally alliance called for “direct communication and engagement between the FIA and President and WoRDA members to find a mutually agreeable and urgent solution” due to unease “with the public impression these excessive sums create in the minds of fans, suggesting this is an industry where money doesn't matter,” given the limitations of rally drivers’ salaries. The rallying of the Rally Drivers’ Union came after F1’s very own Grand Prix Drivers’ Association (GPDA) expressed aversion for the new ISC amendments in a scathing statement.
“The GPDA has, on countless occasions, expressed its view that driver monetary fines are not appropriate for our Sport. For the past 3 years, we have called upon the FIA President to share the details and strategy regarding how the FIA's financial fines are allocated and where the funds are spent. We have also relayed our concerns about the negative image financial fines bring to the Sport. We once again request that the FIA President provides financial transparency and direct, open dialogue with us. All stakeholders (FIA, F1, the Teams and the GPDA) should jointly determine how and where the money is spent for the benefit of our Sport.”
Criticism of Ben Sulayem’s leadership style has cropped up and down the paddock. While speaking at the unveiling of the Williams Racing FW47 2025 car, the newly appointed Director of the GPDA and Williams driver, Carlos Sainz, also made his thoughts on the matter known.
“What we say on the [car] radio, I don't agree with what is happening. I think you can not be too tough on these kinds of things because you cannot understand the pressure and adrenaline and the way we feel in the car when we open the radio. And I feel for F1 it is good to have those moments because you see the real driver.”
“We are already very constrained as F1 drivers to what we can tell you about our teams, about our situations. We already have a lot of media briefings. They already tell us what to say on the radio. But when you hear that passion, those words, even if sometimes we swear on the radio, for me that's a keeper in F1, and it is something we shouldn't get rid of.”
The FIA’s growing rift with drivers raises questions about Ben Sulayem’s leadership and its impact on the sport’s wellbeing—especially in a pivotal year where his re-election bid is up for debate.
Ruling the country of motorsport
Politics is as much a part of motorsport as horsepower and strategy. Within the FIA body, politics acts as its nervous system—keeping things responsive and in check. But a recent power shift has dulled its reflexes, moving towards a more concentrated control in the hands of the President.
The changes passed during the 2024 General Assembly in Rwanda have curbed the investigative powers of the ethics and audit committees, shifting that responsibility to the FIA Senate President, an office currently held by Carmelo Sanz de Barros.
In an attempt to justify the revisions, the FIA explained that the ethics committee aimed to curb media discourse on investigations, stating that “limiting the distribution of the report will also protect the complainant and individual subject to the investigation.” Meanwhile, the changes to the audit committee were framed as a re-evaluation of its role as “an advisory body” to the Senate.
Ben Sulayem has previously been investigated by both committees, making this power shift all the more eyebrow-raising. After a whistleblower exposed his interference in determining a racing incident at the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, the growing concentration of presidential power has become even more unsettling.
In enacting his newly found polarising powers as overseer of the ethics committee, Ben Sulayem barred British FIA officials from attending the World Motor Sport Council meeting due to their refusal to sign Non-Disclosure Agreements.
The prohibited include the Federation’s Deputy President for Sport, Robert Reid, and David Richards, the UK Chairman of UK Motorsport. The decision came from the FIA President’s office in an effort to quell any press leakage on matters discussed within the enclosed proceedings.
An FIA statement on the matter read, “Unauthorised disclosure of confidential information undermines our ability to fully fulfil our mission and adversely impacts our capabilities to generate revenues to support our member clubs in our shared objective of growing motorsport participation, increasing accessibility, and cultivating innovation. The steps we have taken to preserve confidentiality have been overwhelmingly supported by a super majority of WMSC members.”
Widespread disapproval of the adjustments, including from FIA officials with voting capacity, was voiced as Ben Sulayem swiftly consolidated power, undercutting the committees in place and in some sense, paralysing a portion of the FIA. This, however, was not the first instance in which FIA disapproval came from within the Federation.
The abrupt departure of F1 Race Director Niels Wittich in the lead-up to the 2024 Las Vegas Grand Prix was met with questions, queries, and qualms from drivers to pundits alike. Recently, Wittich spoke of his surprise at being dismissed to Sky Germany. “I saw no indications that anything wasn’t working or that there was any reason to make a personnel change. So, in that sense, it all came as a complete surprise. To this day,” he said.
While Ben Sulayem and the FIA is at odds with drivers, there seems to be a growing unrest within the FIA as Wittich’s departure was among a slew of high profile exits including Head of the FIA Commission for Women, Deborah Mayer, and single-seater technical director, Tim Goss.
Critical condition?
The FIA could be categorised as teetering on critical condition. While the growth and success of the sport have been a factor to which the Federation can speak to with heads held high, the chorus of dissatisfaction is only growing louder by the day from drivers to officials.
With an election on the horizon, questions about the FIA’s present and future are unavoidable—along with the urgent search for a cure. Could re-electing Ben Sulayem be the remedy, framing his first tenure as part of a longer-term vision for the sport? Or might a challenger, such as F1 Academy Managing Director Susie Wolff, be the one to finally put the pitchforks down?
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