FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been absolved of any misconduct following the inability of the FIA’s Ethics Committee to validate allegations of interference in the Las Vegas Grand Prix held last year.
Ben Sulayem came under scrutiny amid assertions suggesting his involvement in attempting to overturn an additional penalty imposed on Fernando Alonso during the preceding season’s race.
Additionally, there were allegations of his purported endeavor to influence the track homologation process ahead of the event. Following a comprehensive month-long inquiry, the case has now concluded.
The accusations were escalated to the FIA’s Ethics Committee, which declared its intention to probe into the actions of the head of the regulatory body concerning the purported meddling in Formula 1’s latest flagship event from the previous season.
Having conducted an extensive investigation involving interviews with nearly a dozen witnesses, the FIA determined that these accusations lacked substantial evidence. Consequently, Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been exonerated of any wrongdoing.
The statement issued by the FIA conveyed the following: “The FIA Compliance Department, supported by external advisors, conducted thorough inquiries over allegations of potential interference in sporting decisions during Formula One events in 2023.
“After reviewing the results of the inquiries, the Ethics Committee were unanimous in their determination that there was no evidence to substantiate allegations of interference of any kind involving the FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
“Concerns over potential interference were brought to the attention of the FIA Compliance Officer and subsequently passed to the FIA Ethics Committee under Article 32.2.5 of the FIA Statutes.
“There followed a robust and wide-ranging independent review spanning 30 days, which included interviews with 11 witnesses.
“Allegations against the FIA President were unsubstantiated and strong evidence beyond any reasonable doubt was presented to support the determination of the FIA Ethics Committee.
“The FIA President was cleared of any wrongdoing regarding allegations (i) to have interfered with the Stewards’ decision to reverse an additional penalty on Car 14 following a challenge from the Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023 and (ii) to have attempted to interfere with the track certification process for the Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023. The certification was completed and approved in due time.
“The President’s complete co-operation, transparency, and compliance throughout the process during this investigation was greatly appreciated.”
