Teams are not sparing the FIA after the Qatar GP: Toto Wolff points the finger and jokes about the FIA’s “reality show.” Penalties, missed Safety Cars, and questionable decisions: at Losail, the Grand Prix is tainted by borderline decisions from the race direction. While Mohammed Ben Sulayem defends his actions, dissatisfaction grows in the paddock.
The rift between Formula 1 and the FIA continues to grow. It’s no secret that the path taken by the International Federation in 2024 has often made reconciliation with teams and drivers difficult. The doubts center around the recent layoffs by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, as well as the issue of transparency regarding driver fines.
The drivers are vocally demanding to be treated like adults, as well as more clarity about the management of the Federation’s funds. The teams echo their sentiment, tired of the current President’s authoritarian leadership. According to Toto Wolff, it’s time to start asking some fundamental questions: are the decisions made in recent weeks improving Formula 1?
The FIA and its “reality show”: Toto Wolff is not having it
The race direction of the Qatar Grand Prix raised doubts about the FIA’s actions: “In general, if you look at it positively, [the FIA] could have its own reality show with what’s happening right now,” jokes Toto Wolff, as reported by Motorsport.com.
“I think all our stakeholders need to keep in mind that we must protect this holy grail of a sport, and do it with responsibility and transparency. It’s good that the drivers are united in this general context, as they have shown. The teams understand what we consider right or wrong. You need to look in the mirror and ask yourself: ‘Am I contributing the best I can to this sport or not?’”
“I think he [Mohammed Ben Sulayem] can fire anyone he wants. It’s his organization, he’s the president. For the drivers and all of us, it’s important to ask if the decision-making process is improving. Is the sport improving thanks to these changes in the organization and staff? If the answer to all of this is yes, then it’s an internal matter he has to manage.”
“Obviously, though, the news and the potential consequences in terms of reputation are negative for all of us. This is also what I meant: we are all in this sport, and all the stakeholders—media, FIA, drivers, teams, Liberty, Stefano [Domenicali] who runs it. I think that in times of so much polarization, so much conflict, rationality must prevail. And for me, at the moment, it doesn’t seem like that.”
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