Ahead of the season 1 2023: The escalating conflict between FIA and F1

The relationship between FIA (F1 organizer) and racing teams is increasingly cracked. They are not to the extent of division but the harmony is no more. From riders, racing teams to Liberty Media (F1 owner) are not satisfied, even annoyed with FIA’s management under the new President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

The UAE leader, as president of FIA in December 2021, affirmed his power by changes in law, strict regulations and ready to confront all. Ben Sulayem’s work is completely different from his predecessor Jean Todt, who has a very harmonious relationship with the racing teams and sponsors. If Jean Todt pampered the racing teams, on the contrary, Ben Sulayem proved dictatorial and stood above all.

The “Hamilton Prohibition Law” is one of the issues that make the conflict between FIA and F1. Specifically, between FIA and famous racer Lewis Hamilton. Under the president of Ben Sulayem, FIA issued a new rule to ban riders from wearing jewelry into the tournament with the reasons for avoiding danger. This provision is said to be aimed at Hamilton, who always wears a nose piercing while pedaling.

The racer has been very urgent 7 times the F1 champion because the past 16 years he has always worn nose piercings at F1 that no one said. Hamilton is also willing to sign a record of exemption from FIA if she is injured by jewelry. After that, the two sides had to sit together to find an agreement. Hamilton accepted to remove jewelry and FIA offset by granting exemptions for two races for the British star. However, FIA’s rigidity has caused significant reactions in the F1 village. Because not only Hamilton, many other riders have a hobby of wearing jewelry into the tournament.

FIA also devastated seriously with racing teams from racing technical reform. Originating from the Mercedes racing team complaining about the technical reforms that reduced the speed effect with the racing car, Secretary General Fia Shaila-ANN Rao listened and adjusted the rules. The problem is: Shaila-Ann’s advertisement before returning to FIA was a manager at Mercedes. That made other racing teams fenced and thought that Shaila-Ann proposed her old racing team. The pressure was so great that Shaila-Ann Rao had to resign in November last year after less than a year of appointment.

But people who make serious conflicts with F1 village are none other than the president of FIA, Ben Sulayem. Since the middle of last year, Ben Sulayem has embarked on the campaign to operate the corridor to help Andretti become the 11th racing team at F1. The existing teams of F1 village simultaneously reacted and did not accept this, even the F1 owner, Liberty Media, was not satisfied with Ben Sulayem’s work. But in January of this year, the president of FIA continued to strongly declare that the US race team (Andretti was owned by Michael Andretti, the son of the F1 Mario Andretti voice boat) will be the 11th team of F1.

In order for Andretti to join the F1 race, it is necessary to agree of 10 teams and owners. In addition, Andretti needs to spend $ 200 million in “anti -dilution of F1 value”. Ben Sulayem hopes that the 2024 season will be Andretti, but this is making him an enemy of the remaining 10 teams.

Latest last week, Ben Sulayem commented on Twitter about Saudi Arabia’s financial fund information that wanted to buy F1 for $ 18 billion. Immediately, Liberty Media reacted strongly about “Ben Sulayem went over the statement rules” in his position. The F1 owner sent a letter to “deterring” the head of FIA about speaking against a sensitive and completely unofficial issue.