Mohammed ben Sulayem

[Callum43]

So we enter a new era of the FIA with a Saudi and Ecclestone connection. What can possibly prevent open and transparent dealings to be the norm now. Let’s hope the new dawn of rule making and adherence is as far away from my expectations as it can possibly be for the sake of all concerned. The first statement issued confirms my scepticism.

[Leithen]

Teddy Lop said:

A nobody, where you bin hiding

On PH, under a pseudonym?

[StevieBee]

JoelH said:

I knew F1 fans were becoming more and more insular but this thread takes the biscuit. People saying they have no idea who the new President is and assuming he must be corrupt etc etc.

How about getting out from under your rocks.

And also do a bit of research on the scope of what the FIA does beyond F1 (and in fact beyond motorsport) and thus the scope of the role of the president.

[Derek Smith]

JoelH said:

I knew F1 fans were becoming more and more insular but this thread takes the biscuit. People saying they have no idea who the new President is and assuming he must be corrupt etc etc.

How about getting out from under your rocks.

Dear me. Get a book on the history of the FIA, but not written by Mosley and his ilk. Read up on the practices of the rich in the new incumbent's home country. Read up on humour, irony and ways to portray cynicism in the form of humour. If you're into football, look up their international governing body's history.

It's another rich male in charge of a rich sport. Whether he is or is not individually corrupt is something he'll have to prove as the default is against him. He has significant problems to concern him, such as the poor support on the grid, the pressure from green politics, F1's support for countries that are institutionally corrupt and have appalling human rights, and, of course, inept race by race management. And his first choice for comment? That's insular.

The sport's problems and threats are many. The conduct of a wronged driver is not one of them. To pick on him at his first interview with an international motor sport magazine shows he has a bewildering sense of priorities. Mercedes will leave the sport. It's not an if. It would cost Merc support to do so, with a lot of negative publicity. His first action is to give them an option for a PR success. He's a dolt.

I have not a lot of hope for this new incumbent. I'd love to have my concerns proved incorrect, but what odds would you suggest would be reasonable?

[Leithen]

I think you should write a book Derek.

But you ought to put a disclaimer in the foreword that you still haven’t got over the McLaren fine.

[MitchT]

I think if I were Lewis and this guy sanctioned me for not turning up at the FIA's prizegiving, while leaving Masi's antics unquestioned, I'd be off to sit on a beach somewhere and leave the F1 st show to get on with itself.

[glazbagun]

Wasn't he one of the stewards who rubber stamped Masi's "I can just make st up" defence of the Abu Dhabi debacle?

[robsco]

MitchT said:

I think if I were Lewis and this guy sanctioned me for not turning up at the FIA's prizegiving, while leaving Masi's antics unquestioned, I'd be off to sit on a beach somewhere and leave the F1 st show to get on with itself.

I wholeheartedly agree with this. It would be sad to see Lewis end like this, but part of me hopes he does, if only to serve to give the FIA a short, sharp shock for their arrogance.

[glazbagun]

robsco said:

I wholeheartedly agree with this. It would be sad to see Lewis end like this, but part of me hopes he does, if only to serve to give the FIA a short, sharp shock for their arrogance.

Or stand on the top step of the podium with a "arrest the officials who fixed an F1 finale" T Shirt.

If Lewis left I wonder what would happen to all of the End Racism / We Stand as One stuff. I always got the impression that many teams / countries with any kind of morality being brought into F1, it being a sport that historically will follow the money almost anywhere and Lewis has been embarrassing them somewhat with his comments on Saudi and diversity.

[Brainpox]

glazbagun said:

Or stand on the top step of the podium with a "arrest the officials who fixed an F1 finale" T Shirt.

If Lewis left I wonder what would happen to all of the End Racism / We Stand as One stuff. I always got the impression that many teams / countries with any kind of morality being brought into F1, it being a sport that historically will follow the money almost anywhere and Lewis has been embarrassing them somewhat with his comments on Saudi and diversity.

Although Vettel has done his part, Lewis as the 7x WDC and constant frontrunner is basically the face of all the slogans and gestures they come up with.

Lewis went to Saudi with a rainbow helmet and said he doesn't want to be there, and why.

Ricciardo said he doesn't pay attention to the human rights abuses because it affects his positive vibes

The others keep quiet, which is the easy option, but a missed opportunity in terms of raising awareness.

When Lewis goes, all those gestures will be gone, because no one else who could have a voice will be interested in using it.

[MitchT]

I don't think the FIA would care if Lewis left. I've been watching F1 for the best part of four decades and this is far from the first time that the governing body have done something biased or catastrophically stupid and then carried on like their st doesn't smell. I just think Lewis would find more peace if he turned his back on it all. After all, how do you wholeheartedly commit every last drop if your energy to something for a 20+ race season when you know that some cockwomble might unilaterally vary the rules on the penultimate lap of the final race and cheat you out of everything you've spend the whole season earning?

[Brainpox]

MitchT said:

I don't think the FIA would care if Lewis left. I've been watching F1 for the best part of four decades and this is far from the first time that the governing body have done something biased or catastrophically stupid and then carried on like their st doesn't smell. I just think Lewis would find more peace if he turned his back on it all. After all, how do you wholeheartedly commit every last drop if your energy to something for a 20+ race season when you know that some cockwomble might unilaterally vary the rules on the penultimate lap of the final race and cheat you out of everything you've spend the whole season earning?

By wrapping it up with a quarter of the season to go

[MitchT]

Brainpox said:

By wrapping it up with a quarter of the season to go

Problem with that is that it would require a degree of single team dominance that everyone has been moaning about. We want it to go down to the wire, but not for the length of he wire to be interfered with at the last minute.

[cgt2]

MitchT said:

Problem with that is that it would require a degree of single team dominance that everyone has been moaning about. We want it to go down to the wire, but not for the length of he wire to be interfered with at the last minute.

And this is the point. For all the hysterics this season if RB had been uncompetitive, Lewis would have wrapped up the championship by mid season as neither his team mate or any other team were anywhere near. I'm glad we got a decent tussle until the end.

[hot metal]

Callum43 said:

So we enter a new era of the FIA with a Saudi and Ecclestone connection. What can possibly prevent open and transparent dealings to be the norm now. Let’s hope the new dawn of rule making and adherence is as far away from my expectations as it can possibly be for the sake of all concerned. The first statement issued confirms my scepticism.

Sulayem is from UAE, if that helps.

You know, Dubai, where some people actually go for a holiday

Edited by hot metal on Saturday 18th December 15:17

Edited by hot metal on Saturday 18th December 15:17

[Brainpox]

MitchT said:

Problem with that is that it would require a degree of single team dominance that everyone has been moaning about. We want it to go down to the wire, but not for the length of he wire to be interfered with at the last minute.

Absolutely, but at least that would be a genuine ending, and the FIA has no opportunity to force last minute drama.

[hot metal]

So Christian, Geri, Bernie & Fabiana are all big buddies now, holidaying together in Croatia etc. Now Fabiana is Vice FIA President, how does that look ??

[Voodoo Blue]

After all the noise from Christian Horner on unfair decisions this year I really thought the man had scruples but unexpectedly for me he took the self serving option and decided to forget history on the last lap of the last race. I can't help feeling that the moment he or Max complains about an unfair decision next year the whole paddock will laugh at him and laugh out loud.

It feels like this could well be the end of F1 as a legitimate sport unless the FIA recognise the damage this is doing and choose to do something positive to prevent it becoming a real circus.

[stinkyspanner]

This is based on a less than passing interest in the middle Eastern rally championship but I always had the impression that the multiple championship wins were helped by being in a fully supported wrc focus or whatever and the others all turned up with a Hillman imp on a trailer.

[stemll]

glazbagun said:

Wasn't he one of the stewards who rubber stamped Masi's "I can just make st up" defence of the Abu Dhabi debacle?

No, you're probably thinking of Mohamed Al Hashmi. Together with Derek Warwick, Garry Connelly and Felix Holter.