Ben Sulayem and Formula 1 under scrutiny from an expert: “Embarrassing and unprofessional”. F1 expert points the finger at Ben Sulayem's leadership.

The 2023 Formula 1 season is under scrutiny from an F1 expert who points the finger at Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s leadership.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem will certainly be remembered for a not-so-brilliant 2023 Formula 1 season. The winter break started off on the wrong foot with the case of Toto and Susie Wolff.

It’s safe to say “much ado about nothing,” as the alleged investigation for a conflict of interest concluded within 48 hours, with no consequences. Or almost none. The ones paying the price were the Wolff spouses, who claimed to have suffered damage to their image.

Susie Wolff, director of the F1 Academy, did not mince words in accusing the FIA of misogyny and toxic behavior. An F1 expert, Mark Gallagher, has described the entire episode as “embarrassing.”

According to the TV commentator, the FIA should have apologized to Toto and Susie, which did not happen. “How unprofessional was the governing body of this sport?” Gallagher wondered, speaking on the Flat Chat podcast.

“That’s the only word that comes to mind: unprofessional.” Commenting on the incident, the motorsport expert also questioned the kind of relationship between the FIA and Formula 1 teams and why the discussions are “so poor. Their relationships between the people involved are so poor that they conducted this embarrassing investigation based solely on some statements to the press? It was a frightening sequence of events, and it’s so disappointing.” – he pointed out.

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Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s less influential character has already been questioned by Jean Todt, former FIA president. Gallagher believes these clashes between current and past leadership are “quite significant.”

“The feeling is that we are in an era where there are personal conflicts. There’s a certain degree of bitterness that then manifests in some of these unprofessional moments,” Mark Gallagher concluded in his podcast.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem became president of the FIA in December 2021, succeeding former Ferrari team principal Jean Todt.