Eddie Jordan urges FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to ‘get a grip’ after ‘shambolic’ decision

Eddie Jordan thinks he ‘may get banned’ from the Formula 1 paddock after hitting out at FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem for one ‘shambolic’ decision made in Qatar.

The pinnacle of motorsport is preparing for the final leg of its record 24-round season at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend. But much of the talk going into the Yas Marina Circuit is looking back at the controversial circumstances that blighted the Qatar Grand Prix last week.

Some Formula 1 teams are even concerned after it emerged that Ben Sulayem – the head of the series’ governing body – wants to modify the rules concerning how the leadership of the FIA can be opposed. A vote about the power of the audit committee is due on December 13.

Eddie Jordan rages at Mohammed Ben Sulayem for Lando Norris’ Qatar Grand Prix penalty

Now, the actions of the FIA’s race stewards at the Qatar Grand Prix and Ben Sulayem himself has drawn ex-F1 team owner Jordan to urge the Emirati to ‘get a grip’ after Lando Norris had a ‘shambolic’ 10-second stop/go penalty after the Briton ignored double waved yellow flags.

Jordan admits Ben Sulayem could ban him from the F1 paddock for his comments as Norris’ penalty was ‘wrong’. The McLaren pilot was removed from his fight with Max Verstappen to win at the Lusail International Circuit, despite race control refusing to call for the safety car.

READ MORE: Who is Rui Marques? The FIA’s new F1 race director replacing Niels Wittich

New F1 race director Rui Marques initially decided against neutralising the event when Alex Albon lost the Williams drivers’ right mirror on the fastest part of the circuit, the pit straight. The use of double-waved yellow flags would even remove the only proper overtaking point.

Yet only once Sauber driver Valtteri Bottas drove over the mirror and shattered carbon fibre everywhere was the safety car issued. In the meantime, Verstappen groaned over Red Bull’s radio believing correctly that Norris did not lift under the yellow flags that appeared late on.

Eddie Jordan thinks he could get banned from F1 for Mohammed Ben Sulayem complaints

Marques referred Norris ignoring the double waved yellow flags to the race stewards, who slapped the McLaren ace with the second-harshest penalty available – a 10-second stop/go. The only punishment more extreme than what the 25-year-old merited is to be disqualified.

But Jordan cannot see how the stewards felt Norris merited such an extreme penalty in the Qatar GP. Even at the risk of Ben Sulayem banning the Irishman from the F1 paddock, he is adamant the Emirati must ‘get a grip’ of the situation plaguing the FIA over recent months.

“It’s shambolic,” Jordan said on Formula For Success. “What is going on with the FIA? Look, I reach out to you. I actually really do like you, Mohammed. I’ve known you [for] 35 years.

“For Christ’s sake, get a grip of what’s going on in the FIA! Yes, I may get banned from going to the Grands Prix, [but] I don’t care. I just do not see that the FIA is behaving properly [or] the stewards are behaving properly. It was wrong.

“Every person in that team in McLaren should feel aggrieved, and the reason being that they [the FIA] have on many occasions said, ‘We’ll investigate after the race’. Isn’t that what happens many times? Did they do that? No.

“They didn’t apply that even though the race was getting close to the end. People will say, the conspiracy people in the group will say, ‘Ha! Now, that’s the decision? They are trying desperately to help Ferrari!’ I’m not one of those but nevertheless, it has to be discussed.”

Ferrari moved to within 21 points of McLaren after Lando Norris’ controversial penalty

It has been a tumultuous year for the FIA with chief executive officer Natalie Robyn quitting, along with firing the head of the audit committee Bertrand Badre, audit committee member Tom Purves, compliance officer Paolo Basarri and even Formula 1 race director Niels Wittich.

READ MORE: The most successful F1 teams at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix including Red Bull

Now, Ben Sulayem is even trying to further his control over the FIA by changing the statutes governing its audit and ethics committees. If the FIA’s member clubs do approve his tweaks, the Emirati would himself then oversee any ethical complaints beside its senate’s president.

In the meantime, McLaren will hope there are no conspiracy-enhancing penalties at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as the Woking team look to hold off Ferrari and win their first constructors’ title since 1998. McLaren arrive at Yas Marina, which could suit Ferrari more, 21 points clear.

Ferrari were able to gain 13 points on McLaren over the Qatar Grand Prix weekend, despite Norris gifting Oscar Piastri the F1 Sprint win in Qatar with a one-two finish. The Briton’s big penalty in the feature race meant he could only recover P10 as Charles Leclerc secured P2.