However, the FIA president responded, saying it was none of the drivers’ business to know such details. He said:“With all respect, I am a driver. I respect the drivers. Let them go and concentrate on what they do best, which is race.When he was asked about the unfair treatment, he said:The GPDA also asked how […]
However, the FIA president responded, saying it was none of the drivers’ business to know such details. He said:“With all respect, I am a driver. I respect the drivers. Let them go and concentrate on what they do best, which is race.When he was asked about the unfair treatment, he said:The GPDA also asked how the fine money was being used for the betterment of F1 in the open letter and requested to have full-time paid stewards in the sport for consistency in the rules. “But okay, you want to know how much we paid in grassroots? I’ll give you: 10.3 million [euro] we invested in grassroots last year. I think that’s a lot of money. In ’24, up to now, over 10 million. Back in grassroots. In karting.”Now though, while the 2025 season hasn’t even begun, Ben Sulayem has told Motorsport.com during the Dakar Rally about how he was targeted by the press for three years. He said:“This is our business. We’ll do whatever is good for the FIA. So it’s really none of people’s business to interfere in ours. It’s the results that we produce.”“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.”“None of their business. Sorry.The 2024 season saw several controversies involving the FIA and Ben Sulayem, particularly regarding drivers swearing on camera. This led to an open letter from the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, demanding that Ben Sulayem address their concerns, which followed his delayed response that hinted the drivers stick to racing.FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has targeted the British media for being “unfair” to him.Speaking of the controversy with the GPDA, all F1 drivers revealed their dislike of his alleged behavior with them, particularly the policing of their language and appearance. “Unfair. But the world is unfair. Saudi Arabia has reinvested a lot.“Three years of critics against me. Do I care? Was I elected to listen to the media? No. 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.”He added:The report claimed that Ben Sulayem has clashed with the British media in the past, which could have led to his outburst.
