Ben Sulayem blasts British media – takes aim at British GP
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is no stranger to controversy, but his latest remarks are bound to raise a few eyebrows — especially among members of the British press.
In what has become a recurring theme of his presidency, Ben Sulayem fired shots at the media, accusing them of being “unfair,” while also making a puzzling comment about the Formula 1 British Grand Prix.
Speaking at the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, the FIA president kicked off his latest rant with a mix of defiance and thinly veiled frustration.
“Three years of critics against me. Do I care? Was I elected to listen to the media? No,” he said.
“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.”
The FIA President vs. The Media
It’s not entirely clear what sparked this latest tirade, but the Emirati made it clear that he feels targeted, particularly by British outlets.
“Unfair. But the world is unfair. Saudi Arabia has reinvested a lot,” he continued. “You look at some of the British media, and they go against Saudi Arabia or me.”
©Dakar/X
His tension with the press has been an ongoing saga, with journalists closely scrutinizing his tenure.
From staffing upheavals within the FIA to clashes with F1 drivers and their association – the GPDA, Ben Sulayem’s leadership has been marked by headline-grabbing drama.
A Cryptic Jab at the British Grand Prix
But Ben Sulayem didn’t stop with the media. He pivoted to the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, taking aim at its title sponsorship.
“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,” he said.
What exactly Ben Sulayem intended with this comment remains unclear. He appeared to suggest that that the Silverstone-based event would no longer exist without its Qatari sponsor.
Or perhaps the comment was aimed at the critics of Saudi Arabia’s growing influence in motorsport?
The statement leaves room for speculation — and likely ensures a flurry of questions for him in the future.
An Election Year Under Fire
This latest episode comes at a critical juncture for Ben Sulayem, as he enters an election year for the FIA presidency. Despite facing no opposition for the role, his tenure has been anything but smooth.
A tumultuous relationship with Formula 1 drivers has made headlines, with tensions boiling over last year before the Singapore Grand Prix.
Ben Sulayem had publicly chided drivers over “poor language,” only to find himself on the receiving end of backlash when Max Verstappen swore during an official press conference and later received a punishment.
The incident prompted the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association to issue a rare public rebuke, urging the FIA president to reconsider his approach.
“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 GPDA stated in November.
“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.”
Ben Sulayem’s presidency has been a whirlwind of reform, public disputes, and, more often than not, pointed remarks aimed at the press and other critics.
As he steers the FIA into another year, his latest comments highlight a growing divide between his vision for the sport and the scrutiny of those watching from the outside.
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