FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has become increasingly popular in recent times. It feels as if the sport’s governing body is at the centre of negative headlines every race weekend.
Perhaps most notably, there was the surprise sacking of FIA race director Niels Wittich before the Las Vegas GP at the end of November. He was replaced by F2’s Rui Marques.
But Marques has had to double up on his duties at the Qatar GP this weekend after Janette Tan left her post. Tan had been Marques’ deputy so would have stepped up for the last two F2 rounds.
Senior steward Tim Mayer, who has been in the role for 15 years, was the next significant figure to be fired. F1 looks healthier than ever but the FIA is descending to a shambles.
The spate of sackings comes just weeks after Ben Sulayem’s highly controversial swearing clampdown. World champion Max Verstappen will have to undertake ‘community service’ after using an expletive in a Singapore GP press conference.
The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association issued a statement on Instagram asking to be treated like adults. Verstappen’s penalty clearly sparked widespread concern.
Max Verstappen discusses F1 swearing penalty with Mohammed Ben Sulayem at Qatar Grand Prix
According to Dutch publication De Telegraaf, Verstappen held a half-hour meeting with Ben Sulayem in Qatar. Rather than a reaction to his one-place grid penalty for impeding George Russell, which cost him pole position and left him furious, this was a pre-scheduled event.
Verstappen and Ben Sulayem laid out their respective positions on the swearing debate. They also addressed the ‘tumultuous’ exodus at the FIA.
The Dutchman’s camp are satisfied with ‘a good and mature conversation’. It’s clear that he’s becoming increasingly influential.
Having won four consecutive titles, Verstappen is viewed as a ‘figurehead’ by F1 bosses. Some would argue he’s taken over from Lewis Hamilton as the face of the sport.
Why Max Verstappen’s legacy is greater than Sebastian Vettel’s
This wasn’t the only important meeting to take place at the Lusail International Circuit. Thursday’s driver briefing concerned changes to the 2025 racing rules.
There seems to be broad consensus among the drivers as to what should change. George Russell previously hinted Verstappen disagreed with the other 19 competitors.
The Red Bull superstar ignited the debate at the US GP after a battle with Lando Norris. Norris received a penalty for passing him outside the bounds of the track, but Verstappen had exploited a grey area in the rules to edge him wide.
He remains a divisive figure like many legends before him. Guenther Steiner says Verstappen will be remembered longer than Sebastian Vettel, another four-time world champion, because he’s a ‘sheer racer’ who’s ‘less methodical’.
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