The power struggle between the FIA, FOM and F1 teams is about to explode

Things have not been going well between the FIA and the FOM/F1 teams for a few years now. Since Mohammed Ben Sulayem joined the FIA in late 2021, frequent incidents have occurred between the FIA and the FOM. Formula One Management, as the rights holder of the commercial interests supported mainly by the F1 teams, is regularly at odds with the FIA.

The Andretti case is the best example of this. While the FIA want Andretti and General Motors to be admitted, FOM and the F1 teams have reservations. Instead of having these talks privately, the FIA president uses the media to make his point.

Why the FIA and FOM are diametrically opposed

The FIA came out with the fact that they want Andretti to be admitted and that it is now up to the FOM. In an interview, Ben Sulayem added to the pressure by saying he did not understand why the other teams were being obstructive. For their part, the teams are not happy with these statements from the FIA president. After all, he has nothing to say about it. The FIA approves the entry, and the FOM the commercial value of a new team.

You see this interference from the FIA reflected in several things. For instance, the president also presents prizes to drivers after a sprint race. The FIA president also frequently gives interviews to give his views on F1. A vision he cannot determine at all as FIA president.

For instance, F1 wants to make the sport more commercially interesting by organising more races with financially stable teams. F1 organised a race themselves for the first time with the Las Vegas Grand Prix. This obviously brings in more money, making it an interesting business model. However, the FIA also has a different idea about this. In an interview, Mohammed Ben Sulayem stated that he favours more teams and fewer races in F1. Completely the opposite.

Mohammed Ben Sulayem is not happy with Wolff

This is not Mohammed Ben Sulayem's first time under fire. In a recent interview, he played the victim, but the FIA did not let the president step down for nothing in early 2023. Without word to the contrary, the president has returned to his day-to-day role, but the teams and F1 are still not fans. This would mainly involve all the FIA president's statements on matters he should not interfere with and also statements about women.

The fact that the teams are not fans of the president became painfully clear again in the row surrounding Toto Wolff and Susie Wolff. Mercedes and Susie are outraged, and F1 is also outraged. Nobody knew of this investigation, and the FIA suddenly came out with the story through the media. It seems like an attack on F1, considering Susie is an employee of Liberty Media as the boss of the F1 Academy. However, it is also an attack on Toto Wolff and Mercedes.

According to the BBC, insiders report there is talk of a battle between Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Toto Wolff. Sulayem is said to be unhappy with statements made by Wolff in the media and behind the scenes. This way, the FIA wants to strike back, but it is not working well.

F1 teams stood up en masse to support Mercedes and the Wolff family. All the teams came with the same message: in other words, this was pre-arranged. It was a coordinated show of support for Mercedes and an attack towards the FIA, who wanted an investigation based on a report in a magazine.

In the background, there are increasing noises that Ben Sulayem should leave. He took a step back before and returned but has not shown improvement. More than ever, he and the FIA are speaking out on matters they really should not be interfering with.