The FIA has published a second letter from automobile clubs pledging support for president Mohammed Ben Sulayem following an investigation into his actions by the Ethics Committee.
The allegations against Ben Sulayem, which the Ethics Committee cleared him of, were “targeted in fact against all the FIA, thus against all of us, its members and other stakeholders”, said the letter to him signed by representatives of 13 member clubs in the Central European Zone. They called for a review of the committee so that it cannot be “misused any more by third parties.”Ben Sulayem was cleared following an investigation into claims he interfered in a stewards decision during the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend and attempted to prevent the certification of Formula 1’s new track in Las Vegas the following November.
“The fact the FIA Ethics Committee rejected unsubstantiated complaints brought against yourself shows solid function of our organisation internal bodies,” said the letter. “We always trusted in your innocence, knowing these are only a purpose made allegations targeted in fact against all the FIA, thus against all of us, its members and other stakeholders.”
However it said the “recent experience” showed the committee’s “procedures, structures and composition should be reviewed so that this legitimate body cannot be misused anymore by third parties against the interests of our organisation.”
“This should be targeted to make the committee even stronger and more independent then now,” it concluded.
The FIA’s Ethics Committee was called upon to investigate allegations relating to two individuals, later identified as Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and his wife F1 Academy CEO Susie Wolff, in December last year. That investigation was swiftly dropped after Mercedes’ nine rival F1 teams all issued statements denying they had raised any concerns over a potential conflict of interest involving the pair.
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After the Ethics Committee cleared Ben Sulayem last month, Susie Wolff announced she was beginning legal action against the FIA over the investigation into her.
Last week member clubs representing 27 countries in north and south America declared their support for Ben Sulayem. They said they would “recommend that the FIA initiate legal action against those who, without cause, slander the FIA and its leadership.”
Letter from 13 European member clubs to FIA
Dear President, dear friend,
Allow us to address you with a message at the occasion of gathering of FIA Central European Zone member ASNs in Prague at the occasion of annual Prizegiving Ceremony.
As we all know, the FIA finds itself in uneasy situation with regard to current circumstance, where its future relationships with various third parties on motorsport scene is at stake.
And it is on all of us, the FIA members, officials and other stakeholders, to keep strong and firm position facing this situation, and we all bear responsibility for the FIA which we will leave to our successors.
These days, more than ever, it is important to stand united against attempts of some persons to weaken our organisation by unfair and unfounded attacks led against the FIA highest governance bodies, in particular against yourself.
Today, more than ever, we need strong leadership to sustain all these difficult challenges, which might continue in the future.
We would like to assure you with our support in these uneasy and turbulent times. We appreciate your care dedicated to us, FIA member ASNs, and your listening to our needs. We trust that your leadership will drive the FIA successfully over these difficulties to even stronger position as the sole global motorsport authority and power.
The fact the FIA Ethics Committee rejected unsubstantiated complaints brought against yourself shows solid function of our organisation internal bodies. We always trusted in your innocence, knowing these are only a purpose made allegations targeted in fact against all the FIA, thus against all of us, its members and other stakeholders.
However, with regard to this recent experience, we are of the opinion the FIA Ethic [sic] Committee procedures, structures and composition should be reviewed so that this legitimate body cannot be misused anymore by third parties against the interests of our organisation. This should be targeted to make the committee even stronger and more independent then now.
We wish you success in your efforts developed in benefit of all FIA members!
With best regards
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SjaakFoo (@sjaakfoo)
10th April 2024, 16:31
Not the outcome Toto would have wanted, I’m sure, but it doesn’t look like Ben is making way anytime soon.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
10th April 2024, 18:00
Toto has made a lot of enemies, and if his team can’t do anything about controlling who wins or loses in F1, his goose is cooked.
MichaelN
10th April 2024, 16:39
When will they finally out ‘some persons’ if they all seem to know who they’re talking about? You can take a pretty good guess, but still.
If they are convinced that this is not a serious ethics complaint, but rather a sleazy tactic by a third party, and are willing to say as much, then why not have that out in the open? Abusing the privacy rules of an Ethics committee is pretty low, even for ‘some persons’.
Adrian Hancox (@ahxshades)
10th April 2024, 18:12
Its all politics – some clubs will absolutely back him if he has promised them positions in the FIA. There is much more going on here than we can see at this time.
Mayrton
11th April 2024, 8:35
I agree, there is a spectrum of possibilities within what is being communicated. Might be a 3rd party they are fighting (varying from the Wolff clan to any other party), but might as well be an internal struggle and attempt to silence the ethics committee – dictator style. There is more we do not know than what we do know.
Red Pill (@redpill)
12th April 2024, 6:41
Its all politics – some clubs will absolutely back him if he has promised them positions in the FIA. There is much more going on here than we can see at this time.
Agreed. I would not be surprised if there’s a ton of politicking & positioning going on, way more than meets the eye of us spectators. The same thing has been happening with ISAF, now called “World Sailing” which is just like FIA but for sailboat racing. The lawsuits, the constant heads rolling and finger pointing, power hungry energy is exhausting and totally loses sight about what organizations like this were created for.
notagrumpyfan
10th April 2024, 18:49
Get a room!
Sergey Martyn
10th April 2024, 19:45
And please don’t forget that 47 years ago he took a glance at someone’s buttocks, though no one can recall now whether they were female or male. Burn him at the stake!
BasCB (@bascb)
10th April 2024, 20:22
Yeah, that is certainly going to reinforce the feeling that the FIA is corrupt and reliant on giving the clubs’ representatives lucrative positions in return for their vote for the president.
Well, that’s not great for the FIA.
Red Andy (@red-andy)
11th April 2024, 8:53
Yes, the extensive powers of patronage wielded by the FIA President do not make for an accountable, transparent organisation. But the prospects of reform seem remote, for exactly the same reasons.
BasCB (@bascb)
11th April 2024, 19:30
Quite true yeah @red-andy
The Dolphins
10th April 2024, 20:40
Summary of this bootlickers’ poem: “We have too many checks and balances”
James (@knewman)
11th April 2024, 0:04
Times like these when I miss Dieter Rencken’s commentary. His ability to navigate through the politiking and misdirections within the FIA world were second to none. I’m sure he’s a valued asset on Ben’s team.
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage (@davedai)
11th April 2024, 0:44
Absolutely
notagrumpyfan
11th April 2024, 8:20
Didn’t know that he was appointed an advisor to Ben.
https://www.motorsport.co.za/sa-dieter-rencken-appointed-motorsport-adviser-to-fia-president/
Nulla Pax (@nullapax)
11th April 2024, 9:33
I had no idea either.
I used to love Dieters day to day articles on race weekends.
They were a good mix of info, insights and rumours …. in between the details of his eating habits of course ;)
Crawliin-from-the-wreckage (@davedai)
11th April 2024, 9:45
I thought he was appointed F1 commissioner in Nov 23
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
11th April 2024, 17:50
if you can’t beat them, buy them out.
G (@unklegsif)
11th April 2024, 13:26
It’s funny, because it was only this morning that I was looking up the definition of “sychophantic a*$e licker”, and this FIA letter came up as a good example
G
RR
11th April 2024, 16:43
This is the kind of support Mosley craved but never got…
G (@unklegsif)
12th April 2024, 4:07
Following Max’s “themed fancy dress party”, he also survived a vote of confidence. I would say that is quite similar level of support
G
RR
12th April 2024, 11:06
“themed fancy dress party”: very good :)