Sep.23 (GMM) FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has pushed back against Formula 1’s Liberty Media-led push for more sprints, shorter grands prix, and even reverse grids.
“Commercially, I understand his position,” Ben Sulayem told Viaplay, acknowledging F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali’s desire to spice up the format for younger fans.
“Stefano is a good friend. We speak five times a week, so I definitely understand what he means. However, I also always consider the additional burden on our staff. They already travel a lot, and it’s very tiring to get more races.
“You also have to ask yourself if it’s good for the teams.”
The Emirati argued the sport cannot lean only on spectacle. “There are multiple interests at stake,” he said.
“It’s not just the commercial side, but also the sporting side. If those two aspects are balanced, then you have a solid foundation. If you only focus on the sporting side, you run into commercial problems – and vice versa.”
While Liberty contemplates dropping European classics like Imola, Zandvoort and even Barcelona, Ben Sulayem is wary of erasing the sport’s roots. “I think Africa deserves a race, but of course the question is whether they can make it financially viable,” he said.
“We can’t forget Europe either. That’s where the sport started, and that’s where all the innovation takes place. Besides, Europe is accessible.”
He is proud of forcing through Cadillac’s controversial 2026 entry, despite heavy resistance from existing teams and Liberty. “I worked for two years to ensure they were allowed into the sport,” said the former rally driver.
“At first, it felt like I’d committed a crime. Now I can smile about it. I think it’s more important to have more teams than to have more races. With more teams, we also get a more stable foundation.”
Asked about Max Verstappen’s earlier dominance – now seemingly back on track with consecutive Monza and Baku wins – Ben Sulayem laughed off suggestions the FIA should ever intervene.
“People sometimes said to me – can’t you do something to make sure Max doesn’t win so much anymore? I always said ‘how can I punish success?’
“That would be unfair. Do you want the best to be held back, or is it better for the weaker ones to improve?”
The 63-year-old is seeking re-election in December against two challengers – and is often booed at circuits. “I understand that,” Ben Sulayem said.
“Have you ever seen a referee being cheered? You don’t see that in any sport. Of course the FIA gets the boos. You can’t please everyone, but if you remove the race control and the stewards, you get chaos.”
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