F1 teams want to oust FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem: replacement already lined up

The Formula 1 World Championship kicks off on March 5, but there is already a lot of rumours and speculation. Rumours that don’t concern the race track but the power maneuvers by those who organize the show that keep us glued in front of the TV from Friday to Sunday. In recent weeks the main protagonist has been the FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who first supported the candidacy of Andretti and any other team that wanted to join Formula 1 in the next few years, then deliberately interfered in the negotiations between Liberty Media and the Saudi sovereign wealth fund (PIF) for the transfer of the commercial rights of the sport. A choice that caused anger in the Formula 1 paddock, with lawyers Sacha Woodward Hill and Renee Wilm who even sent a letter to the Federation.

One wonders, at this point, whether the move to support Andretti arose from an interest in sport or from interests related to the sport. Beyond any consideration, it is clear how the teams are on Liberty Media’s side, thanks to which the value of Formula 1 and of the teams themselves has skyrocketed. The ten teams that are currently involved in the series, however, have their hands tied in this battle, and certainly cannot openly take sides against the FIA.

From Germany, however, it seems that the teams also want to test the ground to understand what can be done on this matter. At the same time, the German media reports that Liberty Media already already has a potential successor lined up. According to what Sport1 reported, the Americans would push for David Pender Richards, the chairman of Prodrive, chairman of Motorsport UK (The Royal Automobile Club Motor Sports Association Ltd), former chairman of Aston Martin, a former team principal of the BAR and Benetton Formula One motor racing teams.

However, in order for Ben Sulayem to be overthrown, “real misconduct” must be proved, as per Sport1. The parties remain at loggerheads over several topics, including the potential future expansion of the Formula 1 grid.

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