For the 3rd Time in 1 Year, Mohammed Ben Sulayem Bizarrely Insults WWE to Defend FIA’s Control Over F1

Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been on the cover page of F1 reporting for a month, and not for all the right reasons. The Susie and Toto Wolff fiasco with the FIA has been a setback for the governing body and its president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Despite all the backlash for FIA, the president came out to insult WWE for the third time in a year and has defended FIA’s control over F1. But what is it all about?

Ever since Liberty Media took over F1, fans have complained about the sport being more inclined towards entertainment than the sport itself. It is believed that the regulations are set up in a way to make racing more entertaining and a better spectacle, rather than being based on technology and motorsport. Even the calendar is suggested to be inclined in a way that attracts more income, viewership, and glamour to the sport. The Las Vegas GP could be taken as one of the examples.

Amid all this, as Liberty Media continued its love affair with the US and there were rumors of a fourth US GP in the form of New York, Mohammed Ben Sulayem took a shot at one of America’s favorite sports, WWE. And it isn’t the first time. The first shot was taken in December 2022, when the FIA president said, “You cannot just have it without the rules. You cannot have it without amending it or updating it. You would end up like the wrestling, you know, like [WWE], which has no governance!”

The second one came in August of last year, when Ben Sulayem explained how the FIA, being the governing body that it is, can talk to the big manufacturers. It wouldn’t happen if FIA wasn’t there to govern F1. He said, “When you go to the United States, for example, you can talk to the big manufacturers, and the reason we can do that is that it’s an FIA championship. If it weren’t an FIA championship, it would end up like WWE without a regulator. What is needed is a governing body.”

And now he’s taken a third shot at WWE to defend FIA’s control over F1. According to Marca.com, Mohammed Ben Sulayem asked, “Do you really think that the big builders would race in a championship without having a regulatory body? Do you really think they would invest? Do you want him to become another Wrestling and know who will win? Where does someone invest and suddenly change the rules?”

To which he answered, “No, it’s about having clear rules first and then you can invest. That (Wrestling) is a show. This, no. Here we have a show, but with a governing body, a show with rules and you know that we make a fair and adequate control.”

Read More: ‘Can’t Be Best Mates With My Competitor’: Christian Horner Opens Up on Bittersweet Relationship With Toto Wolff

However, it is indeed important for F1 to have the FIA as a governing body. Despite F1 being and claiming the fair body that it is, someone is always needed to keep one in check with reality and the situations. Amid everything, a recent problem has arisen that many drivers are speaking up against. Let’s have a look at it. 

The hectic schedule of F1 might be too much for the drivers

Many drivers have come out and expressed their concern about the F1 calendar having way too many races. Fernando Alonso was one of them, who talked about the 2024 F1 season having a total of 24 races. Alonso also talked about the triple headers being way too much for the drivers and teams, and how keeping up is difficult for everyone. Amid all this, the latest rumors of the future F1 calendar came out.

It is rumored that F1 is planning to have 30 F1 races in a calendar year by the end of 2030. This includes 5 races in the USA, while there are still no plans for a race in Africa. Also, rumors of F1 wanting to have three races within the space of a week where Canada, US, and Mexico GP will run back to back within a week. All the more trouble for the F1 drivers and teams.

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