FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem expressed skepticism regarding Stefano Domenicali’s vision for the future of Formula 1. In recent days, the CEO of Formula One Management stated that it would be necessary to introduce more Sprint races into the calendar, also highlighting how traditional races are “too long” to maintain the attention of younger audiences, suggesting a possible format change in the future.
An idea that did not convince the FIA chief, who, in an interview with Viaplay, shared his concerns, saying: “From a commercial point of view, I understand his position. Stefano is a good friend, we talk five times a week, so I know what he means. However, I also think about the additional workload for our staff: they already travel a lot, and further increasing commitments would be extremely exhausting. We also need to ask ourselves whether this is a positive thing for the teams.”
Ben Sulayem then emphasized the need to find a balance between economic and sporting aspects: “There are different interests at play. It’s not just about the commercial side, but also the sporting side. If these two elements are balanced, then there is a solid foundation. But if you focus exclusively on one of the two, problems inevitably arise.”
While Liberty Media seems inclined to remove some historic calendar stops such as Imola, Zandvoort, and possibly Barcelona, Ben Sulayem wanted to reaffirm the importance of preserving Formula 1’s European roots, while recognizing the value of global expansion: “I think Africa deserves a race, but the real question is whether it is economically sustainable. We cannot forget Europe: this is where the sport was born and where much of the innovation is concentrated. Additionally, it is a logistically accessible region.”
The FIA president also proudly highlighted his role in approving Cadillac’s entry into Formula 1 in 2026, despite strong opposition from teams and Liberty. The Emir stated: “I worked for two years to ensure their entry into this sport. At first, it felt like I had committed a crime. Today I can smile about it. I think it is more important to have more teams than more races. With more teams, you also get a more stable base.”
At 63 years old, Ben Sulayem is running for a second term and will face two opponents for the presidency of the Federation in December. Despite not enjoying widespread popularity among fans, who often boo him at circuits, the president seems to approach the situation philosophically: “I understand it. Have you ever seen a referee being applauded? It doesn’t exist in any sport. Of course, the FIA gets booed. You cannot please everyone, but if you remove the race direction and the stewards, chaos is guaranteed.”
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