27/12/2021
NEWS STORY
Newly elected FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem said he intends to devote "as much time as needed" to F1.
Though Jean Todt took over the reins of F1 from Max Mosley shortly after leaving Ferrari, many feel the Frenchman didn't devote as much of his time to the pinnacle of motorsport as needed.
Indeed, as he travelled the word promoting road safety and other causes, many felt he was deserting the sport in order to concentrate on a possible future career in politics as he circled the globe glad-handing various world leaders and dignitaries.
His successor, Mohammed Ben Sulayem is adamant that he will not be following a similar path, and as F1 is said to be heading into a boom era promises to devote as much of his time as possible to the sport.
"I'll have to devote as much time as needed for Formula 1," he said, according to Motorsport.com. "I have made myself independent from my work, from anything that will take me away from the FIA.
"This is a mission," he insists. "This is not going to be a part-time job, and I cannot base myself in the UAE or another place. I will be here in France. I will stick to what I plan to do and what I said. It is going to take a lot of time. How much time I don't know, but as much as is needed."
In a move that many will welcome, the technical team that Ross Brawn has assembled at Formula One Management under owners Liberty Media, will be brought in-house at the FIA, an obvious move when one considers this to be the sport's governing body.
"We have to have a stronger team in the FIA, and that's what F1 wants," admitted Ben Sulayem. "Our technical department now are coming back to the FIA and we have to lead F1.
"Stefano is doing a great job with his team," he continued. "F1 is going up in audience. So we'll have to work together with F1 itself, with the promoters, with the teams and with the drivers also."