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The FIA Compliance Department has investigated allegations from a whistleblower who claimed that President Mohammed Ben Sulayem attempted to influence the refereeing of the 2023 Saudi Grand Prix and delay the homologation of the Las Vegas circuit.
He was ultimately unanimously exonerated, with the FIA saying there was “no evidence to support” the accusations while “greatly appreciating” Ben Sulayem’s “full cooperation, transparency and respect”.
Ahead of this weekend’s Australian GP, F1 Academy chief executive Susie Wolff confirmed she had personally filed a criminal complaint in the French courts against the FIA after it began investigating on a potential conflict of interest between her and her husband Toto.
Rival F1 team bosses are understood to have complained about confidential information being shared between them. But all teams denied this and gave strong support.
The FIA is also the channel through which a Red Bull employee filed a formal complaint against team principal Christian Horner.
In this context, Ferrari F1 boss Fred Vasseur says there is no other choice but to trust the FIA. He said: “I don’t think we have any choice but to be confident.
“We don’t know who the whistleblower is; we don’t know what the whistleblower’s goal was. Don’t ask us for an opinion at the end. We must have confidence in the system.
Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
He also suggested that F1 fans had little interest in the FIA’s handling of recent events and that it was instead the media that was responsible for keeping the allegations in the headlines.
Asked by Autosport about the incidents, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown stressed the need for “full transparency” from the governing body.
“All the elements that have come to light in recent times constitute very serious situations,” he said. “We live in 2024, not 1984, which requires total transparency.
“The three situations are different, but all very serious. We must ensure that things are done transparently and truly independently. I think everyone should appreciate transparency.
However, RB CEO Peter Bayer – former executive director of F1 at the FIA – warned that some elements need to be kept discreet so that whistleblowers still feel empowered to come forward.
Bayer clarified: “[The FIA] are capable because there are elected officials who have roles, there is an independent ethics committee. Since I have been there, we have established a compliance officer and whistleblower hotlines.
“What we are seeing is that the sport has grown significantly in a very short period of time. Many people are asking for transparency.
“I guess we will have to try to understand where we can have transparency because when it comes to individual topics or complaints coming from a whistleblower line, you have to make sure there is a guarantee and absolute protection for people who blow the whistle.
“When it comes to employment contracts, they exist all over the planet and are not meant to be shared with anyone. So it’s difficult. But as a sport we have to learn and grow through these processes and hopefully be able to come back and focus on racing…
“We have to have confidence in the organization. It’s the same when we have a decision from the sports commissioners or something else. Sometimes we don’t like the decisions but ultimately we have to be happy with the process.
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