Formula 1 chief executive Stefano Domenciali has hit back at FIA president Mohamed bin Sulayem, insisting there will always be problems if the sport’s governing body staff are “not doing the right job”. Tensions are high between Formula 1 and the FIA, with the two bodies disagreeing over a number of issues that have led to Bin Sulayem stepping back from the daily racing of the premier motorsport category.
Bin Sulayem has angered some of those who have risen to the top of Formula 1 after a series of tweets in which he expressed his concerns about reporting on a £16 billion bid for the sport that was rejected by rights holders Liberty Media.
Formula One gave a strong response at the time, making it clear in a letter to the FIA and the sports teams that they saw his comments as a significant overstepping of his duties. There were also controversies over Mario Andretti’s attempt to enter the grid as a new manufacturer and Benslim’s stance on drivers making political statements.
Now, Domenciali has offered his response to the current tension between Bin Sulayem and Formula 1, insisting there will always be problems if people are “not doing the right job”. He was also keen to stress that both parties must work together with the priority of the growth of the sport.
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“With Mohammed bin Sulayem assuming the position of a new president last year, it was clear that as usual when there is a new president, there is a statement that he must respect because this was his proposal in front of the members who voted for him,” he told Sky Sports. Then there is a need and time to adjust and assess the FIA’s proper role in the F1 championship.
“It’s no secret that the key to the success of our sport is to get everyone to do their job, in the right way for the benefit of the growth of the sport.
“What kind of personality, what kind of thing that doesn’t help doesn’t need to be commented on. We all have an interest in making sure the sport grows. We are all united, if somebody doesn’t do the right job, there’s going to be a problem.”
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While the saga saw Bin Sulayem reduce his role in running Formula 1, Domenciali saw the positives as it provided the opportunity to clarify each other’s roles.
“I think it’s important to clarify the role of each one of us,” he explained. “I think there are no other things to comment on because we need to focus on what we think is appropriate for the growth of the sport.
“The value of our sport is increasing, we should all be happy because it means we are all doing great.”
