Max Verstappen has been punished by the FIA, the world’s governing body, for swearing. The drivers responded with harsh words, the answer now from the FIA boss: “Drivers should refrain from driving.”
The relationship between Grand Prix stars and FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem (63) has broken. As a reminder: On November 7th, the Formula 1 drivers association GPDA (Grand Prix Drivers’ Association) announced publicly with an open letter. It was about how racing drivers feel they are treated by the FIA, the world motor sports association.
Background: World champion Max Verstappen was fined and sentenced to community service at the Singapore GP because he used a curse word about his car. Charles Leclerc also said “shick” and Monegasse also received a fine. Aces GP were really fed up now.
GPDA directors Alexander Wurz, George Russell and Sebastian Vettel on behalf of their fellow drivers: “There is a difference between curses intended to annoy others and more common curses that mean, for example, bad weather or an inanimate object as it can describe. F1 car or driving mode.”
“Our members are also adults. You don’t need to be taught by the media about little things like wearing jewelry or underwear.” (This is about the ban on drivers wearing jewelry.)
“We call on the FIA President to reconsider his tone and language when speaking to or about our member drivers, whether in a public forum or elsewhere.”
(This is about FIA boss Ben Sulayem’s remark that Formula 1 must distinguish between racing and rap music. To which Lewis Hamilton criticized that this was vulgar language with undertones of racism.)
“The GPDA has also repeatedly expressed its view that fines for riders are not fair to our sport.”
“For the past three years we have asked the President of the FIA to give us information and a strategy on how the FIA fines will be distributed and what the money will be used for. We have also expressed our concern about the negative image that fines give to sports.”
“Once again we call on the President of the FIA to create financial transparency and to have a direct and open dialogue with us. Everyone involved, namely the FIA, F1, racing teams and the GPDA, should decide together how and if the money will be used for the benefit of the game.
During the Las Vegas GP, George Russell was asked if there was a response from the FIA to the letter. “No, no,” Brit said.
The answer is now, and it won’t improve the relationship between the pilots and the FIA boss.
Because the 14-time protest champion Ben Sulayem seems to condescend when he says it. “I’m also a driver, I respect the pilots. But they should focus on what they do best – racing. Regarding some requests from the pilots, I have to say: I’m sorry, that’s not their job.”
“But okay, do you want to know how we invest that money? We invested 10.3 million euros in the core motor sport last year. That is a lot of money. In 2024 there will be more than 10 million, in basic sports, in karting.
After a surprising breakdown from Formula 1 race director Niels Wittich, the drivers realized that it was out of their control and that there was no transparent effect. And that’s not the only personnel change at the FIA.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem: “Whatever we do is for the benefit of the FIA and it is our business. This is not the business of an outsider. Why should we inform the drivers? If something changes for the staff in the racing team, we are not informed about it. We have rules, we follow those rules. We don’t follow other people’s rules. It’s that simple.”
The question has been raised openly in many media as to why there are currently so many changes in the FIA. Mohammed Ben Sulayem: “The same applies to the media – with due respect, but do I have to answer everything? My responsibility is to the members of the FIA and the sport.”
“The media is good, but they don’t have the right to vote in the FIA. I was elected to reform the FIA and that’s what I’m doing. But just so you know, 64 new employees joined us in 2023 and 92 in 2024. I have more important things to do than to worry about what was written about me »
Qatar-GP, Losail International Circuit
01. Max Verstappen (NL), Red Bull Racing, 1:31:05,323 h
02. Charles Leclerc (MC), Ferrari, +6,031 sec
03. Oscar Piastri (AUS), McLaren, +6.819
04. George Russell (GB), Mercedes, +14,104
05. Pierre Gasly (F), Alpine, +16,782
06. Carlos Sainz (L), Ferrari, +17,476
07. Fernando Alonso (E), Aston Martin, +19,867
08. Guanyu Zhou (RCH), Sauber, +25,360
09. Kevin Magnussen (DK), Haas, +32.177
10. Lando Norris (GB), McLaren, +35.762
11. Valtteri Bottas (FIN), Sauber, +50.243
12. Lewis Hamilton (GB), Mercedes, +56,122
13. Yuki Tsunoda (J), Racing Bull, +1:01,100 min
14. Liam Lawson (NZ), Racing Bulls, +1:02,656
15. Alex Albon (T), Williams, +1 Round
outside
Nico Hülkenberg (D), Haas, turner
Sergio Pérez (MEX), Red Bull Racing, Antriebschaden
Lance Stroll (CDN), Aston Martin, collision damage
Esteban Ocon (F), Alpine, accident
Franco Colapinto (RA), Williams, Unfall
World Championship Standings (after 23 out of 24 Grands Prix and 6 out of 6 Sprints)
the driver
01. Verstappen 429 points
02. Norris 349
03. Leclerc 341
04. Plate 291
05. Sainz 272
06. Russell 235
07. Hamilton 211
08. Perez 152
09. Alonso 68
10. Hulkenberg 37
11. Gas 36
12. Tsunoda 30
13. Walk 24
14. Ocon 23
15. Magnussen 16
16. Albon 12
17. Daniel Ricciardo (AUS) 12
18. Oliver Bearman (GB) 7
19. Colapinto 5
20. Zhou 4
21. Lawson 4
22. Bota 0
23. Logan Sargeant (USA) 0
Builders Cup
01. McLaren 640 points
02. Ferrari 619
03. Red Bull Racing 581
04. Mercedes 446
05. Aston Martin 92
06. Alpine 59
07. Haas 54
08. Running Bull 46
09. Williams 17
10. Sauber 0
