FIA president takes aim at British GP in latest media attack

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has continued his onslaught on the press, making cryptic comments about the British Grand Prix.

Specifically, he zeroed in on the British media when speaking to journalists at the Dakar Rally, in an attempt to shrug-off the negative coverage of him.

The 63-year-old, elected in December 2021, claimed he did not care about the perceived criticism he has been on the receiving end of since being elected to the highest position at the motorsport governing body.

In his comments taking aim at the British media, he explicitly mentions F1's round at Silverstone, which is sponsored by Qatar Airways, as part of what seems to be a veiled comparison.

"Three years of critics against me. Do I care? Was I elected to listen to the media? No," he told media covering the Dakar Rally.

"I like the good media, the positive media and maybe I make a mistake, and you can come and criticise me in an objective way."

It is unclear what triggered the FIA president's comments, but the 2025 edition of the Dakar Rally is being held in Saudi Arabia, which might explain the reference to the nation.

When asked about his unfair treatment in the press, he replied: "Unfair. But the world is unfair. Saudi Arabia has reinvested a lot.

"You look at some of the British media and they go against Saudi Arabia or me. But one thing I would say, go on and see the British Grand Prix.

"Is it the British Grand Prix? No, it is the Qatar Airways British Grand Prix. Please, you remove the budget, you remove the money."

It is not the first time he has comments of that nature, having previously claimed the British media "convicted" him through its coverage of him.

Ben Sulayem's tenure has become characterised by heavy turnover of staff at the FIA and by the increasingly fraught relationship with F1, and in particular with drivers - all of which has been heavily reported on by media of varying nationalities.

Much of the coverage on the latter issue has been instigated by Ben Sulayem using the media as a mouthpiece to address drivers, as opposed to doing it directly.

This was no-more evident than before the Singapore Grand Prix last year when he made provocative comments in the press about the use of poor language in F1, compounded when Max Verstappen swore in the official pre-race press conference, and then received community service. It produced a hostile atmosphere, which culminated in a public response by the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) to Ben Sulayem in early November.

"We urge the FIA President to also consider his own tone and language when talking to our member drivers, or indeed about them, whether in a public forum or otherwise," the statement read.

"Further, our members are adults, they do not need to be given instructions via the media about matters as trivial as wearing of jewellery and underpants."