Not for the first time, FIA president, Mohammed ben Sulayem, has suggested that the British media, in particular, has an agenda where he is concerned.

Attending the Dakar Rally, Ben Sulayem took the opportunity to hit out at the media after a year of controversy which has seen more comings and goings at the sport's governing body than at Red Bull, not to mention a widely criticised move which effectively sees him take control of the FIA's ethics and audit committees.

"Three years of critics against me. Do I care? Was I elected to listen to the media? No," he told reporters. "I like the good media," he added, "the positive media and maybe I make a mistake, and you can come and criticise me in an objective way."

Of course, the media is not there for PR purposes, and the fact that during his tenure Ben Sulayem has given the media plenty of ammunition, and in the last year even the drivers have joined in the criticism, calling on the FIA president, amongst other things, not to treat them like children.

In a curious, almost sinister twist, for reasons known only to himself, Ben Sulayem then went on to mention sponsorship of the British Grand Prix.

Asked how he would describe the media's treatment of him, he replied: "Unfair!" adding: "But the world is unfair. Saudi Arabia has reinvested a lot.

"You look at some of the British media and they go against Saudi Arabia or me. But one thing I would say, go on and see the British Grand Prix. Is it the British Grand Prix? No, it is the Qatar Airways British Grand Prix. Please, you remove the budget, you remove the money."

Fact is, it will most likely be F1 itself, and thereby Liberty Media, which will have sold title sponsorship of the British round of the world championship, in just the same way as it - to paraphrase Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper) in Blue Velvet, it will "sell anything that moves".

In much the same way that some will be disappointed to see the Silverstone event renamed the Qatar Airways British Grand Prix, many will rue the increasing influence the oil rich nations have on the sport, their races seemingly safe whilst the likes of Spa-Francorchamps is forced to host races on a rotational basis.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Spindoctor, 15/01/2025 17:21

"His comments about the British GP are quite revealing of his personality, and also what I consider to bed the dead hand of Saudi "ownership£" of so many diverse sports these days. I don't think (religion aside) you'd want to go "down the pub" with Mr Ben Sulayem & that applies to the Liberty gang also. Wealthy Saudis have come to believe that their money buys them the right to exercise the same autocratic style of rule that they apply at home. The kow-towing of our own ruling & commercial elites to their blandishments merely confirms them in their "divine" right to be in charge...."

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2. Posted by Ricardo_sanchez, 15/01/2025 2:16

"This guy should have just stuck to the drumming. He was really good at that!

“Peace and love.”"

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3. Posted by Wokingchap, 14/01/2025 15:24

"@Superbird70.....i think a lot of us overvalue our importance but that does not make us a filthy dictator whose thoroughly nasty character is going to ruin f1. Liberty perhaps could do as you suggest but they are almost in the same category...albeit in a different way ...as ben. What on earth could we expect."

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4. Posted by Superbird70, 13/01/2025 19:37

"I think he overvalues his importance. Liberty could could just leave the FIA and homologate its' own F1 series using the existing teams. I am sure Liberty could draw up a contract for tracks, provision of safety services and trained paid marshals. All the overhead stuff can be dealt with if properly planned. Even the formula could be set by Liberty and the teams."

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5. Posted by KKK, 13/01/2025 18:13

"He should read the italian press! What a muppet! What does he expect if he does a crap job and vires anyone who argues with hmmnon his choices. He should, by all accounts, resign and ho do something useful, like a camel farm."

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6. Posted by Wokingchap, 13/01/2025 15:22

"@Celtic Tiger, i totally agree. There's a place for axxholes like him and it's definitely not here and i suppose he's now made it impossible to get get rid of him."

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7. Posted by Celtic Tiger, 13/01/2025 13:40

""...maybe I make a mistake, and you can come and criticise me in an objective way."

Uh-huh and how did that work out for all those former employees of FIA who did just that? Oh that's right, Benny boy stomped them out like a flaming bag of dog sh*t on a front porch.

Crooked narcissists like him enjoy and rather seem to prefer the way Saudi Arabia have no free press and exist to kiss the ring of the regime, so that corrupt c*nts like him can operate with impunity. I don't quite get what he's alluding to with his British GP dig but he can go right ahead and try screwing with that. I'd enjoy the fallout from that bit of arrogance.

Perhaps the question that should start making the rounds is; Does motorsport need the FIA?"

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Ben Sulayem hits out at British media

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