CARLOS SAINZ SR. GOING FOR THE FIA PRESIDENCY

 

FIA CONFIRMS WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINTS AGAINST PRESIDENT REGARDING SAUDI ARABIA AND LAS VEGAS RACES

AP Photo

 The FIA said Tuesday that its compliance officer has received two complaints “detailing potential allegations involving certain members of its governing body" in seeming reference to whistleblower claims against the president of Formula 1's governing body.

The BBC reported this week that FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem allegedly intervened to overturn a penalty given to Fernando Alonso at last year's Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. A second BBC report says the same whistleblower also claims Ben Sulayem told officials not to certify the Las Vegas circuit for its high-profile race last November.

“The Compliance Department is assessing these concerns, as is common practice in these matters, to ensure that due process is meticulously followed,” the FIA said.

The FIA confirmed no details about the allegations or even that Ben Sulayem is the target. In an additional statement given to The Associated Press, an FIA spokesman said: “It is unfortunate and a source of great concern that the matter has been disclosed to the media without any prior authorization and that certain elements of the report were inaccurately reported.”

FIA COMPLIANCE PROBE KICKS UP A STORM

Reuters

Formula One's governing body announced a compliance probe on Tuesday that drew a furious response from the sport's owners, top team Mercedes and one of the most senior women in motorsport.

The storm broke after the FIA issued a surprise statement saying it was looking into reports a team boss had received confidential information from an employee of the commercial rights holder.

Although the principal was not named, media identified him as Mercedes' Toto Wolff whose wife Susie leads the all-female F1 Academy and reports to Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali.