A number of different F1 teams reportedly have “issues” with the leadership style of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Ben Sulayem took to Twitter last month to openly question a reported Saudi Arabian backed takeover bid of the sport which was rumoured to be around the $20 billion mark. The Emirati said “the FIA as custodians of motorsport” had concerns over the bid and also said the figure was “inflated”. It was the latter that drew the ire of Liberty Media, who reportedly sent a letter to the FIA in which they described the comments of Ben Sulayem as a “major overstep”. There were even rumours that sport’s commercial arm was seeking to have the 61-year-old replaced despite only being a little over a year into his four-year term as president. Sky Sports are reporting that the strained relationship has been patched up and said that “positive conversations” had taken place between the two parties but that a significant number of “high ranking individuals” at the teams … [Read more...] about F1 teams have ‘issues’ with ‘personal style of leadership of Mohammed Ben Sulayem’
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Fred Vasseur predicts Mohammed Ben Sulayem storm will ‘disappear’ when F1 returns
Ferrari team boss Fred Vasseur believes the current furore surrounding FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem will soon fade away. The FIA President has found himself at the centre of a media storm in recent weeks, due to a series of incidents that have attracted the ire of Formula 1. The most egregious incident occurred when Ben Sulayem took to Twitter to offer his thoughts on the report from US publication Bloomberg that Liberty Media had turned down a $20 billion bid from Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to purchase the sport. “As the custodians of motorsport, the FIA, as a non-profit organisation, is cautious about alleged inflated price tags of $20bn being put on F1,” Ben Sulayem tweeted. “Any potential buyer is advised to apply common sense, consider the greater good of the sport and come with a clear, sustainable plan – not just a lot of money. “It is our duty to consider what the future impact will be for promoters in terms of increased hosting fees and other … [Read more...] about Fred Vasseur predicts Mohammed Ben Sulayem storm will ‘disappear’ when F1 returns
Ben Sulayem drama will calm down once F1 racing starts, reckons Vasseur
Listen to this article Ben Sulayem has found himself at the centre of a storm in recent weeks amid a public falling out with Formula 1’s commercial rights holders. Comments he made about what he felt was an ‘inflated’ $20 billion price tag for grand prix racing , suggested in a report that Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund was looking at buying it, did not go down well with F1 . In a letter that F1’s legal department sent to Ben Sulayem, they said that it was wholly wrong of the FIA to be commenting on commercial matters. "The FIA has given unequivocal undertakings that it will not do anything to prejudice the ownership, management and/or exploitation of those rights,” the letter said. "We consider that those comments, made from the FIA President's official social media account, interfere with those rights in an unacceptable manner." Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President FIA Photo by: A.S.O. Ben Sulayem then found himself at the centre of two other issues – … [Read more...] about Ben Sulayem drama will calm down once F1 racing starts, reckons Vasseur