“In spite of the matter being resolved quietly and amicably, he’s still upset and decided to fire me.” These were Tim Mayer’s comments aimed at FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. The former race steward was fired by FIA via text message, and this was the fourth big departure within the leadership roles. Deputy Formula 2 race director Janett Tan, former F1 race director Niels Wittich, and FIA compliance officer Paolo Basarri also took a fall this year.

These firings have certainly raised eyebrows not only among the fans but drivers as well. “Definitely when it comes to the FIA, too much is changing and too quickly,” George Russell shared his take on these rampant changes within the paddock. It’s fair to say that Ben Sulayem has been under growing pressure from former stewards and drivers. But despite ruffling some feathers, the FIA president is going to stick to his guns and has asked drivers to stay out of his business.

Ben Sulayem isn’t fazed by the growing pressure from drivers

The tension between the driver and the FIA president started when Max Verstappen was penalized with community service for using foul language. It didn’t stop there; Charles Leclerc was fined £10,000 for swearing in a press conference after the Mexico Grand Prix. They wrote a letter to the president stating, “Our members are adults; they do not need to be given instructions via the media about matters as trivial as the wearing of jewellery and underpants.”

Given the uproar from within the paddock and the former employees at F1, Ben Sulayem has finally responded ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix. He was asked about the rampant changes within the FIA along with the GPDA’s calls for more transparency with how the sport is run. “None of their business. Sorry. With all respect, I am a driver. I respect the drivers. Let them go and concentrate on what they do best, which is race.” Sulayem said this to Motorsports.com.

The GDPA (The Grand Prix Drivers’ Association) also questioned the use of the monetary fines that the FIA collected from drivers and teams. George Russell who heads the GDPA suggested that the good use of these monetary fines would be to fund the salary of race stewards, who have been inconsistent with their ruling. Furthermore, the drivers demanded financial transparency from the FIA president and summoned all stakeholders to jointly work on how the money should be spent for a good cause.

Well, Ben Sulayem had a rebuttal to this allegation and shared the list of accomplishments F1 has achieved on the grassroots level. “But okay, you want to know how much we paid in grassroots? I’ll give you: 10.3 million [euro] we invested in grassroots last year. I think that’s a lot of money. In ’24, up to now, over 10 million. Back in grassroots. In karting.”

The problems with FIA personnel arose after Mayer’s termination. The biggest talking point in the incident was the different treatment of the personnel of the Canadian GP this year and the Australian GP last year for track invasion. While promoters of those races were let off with warnings and demands for formal remediation plans, the COTA incident of track invasion in 2024 saw Mayer be removed from his position via text. Ben Sulayem explained his decisions, going on to say, “I’m not a person who will go and wake up in the morning, go and look at the media. The media are good, but they don’t have votes in the FIA. I have been elected to fix the FIA, and I am fixing it. I am very happy with our new team. Very happy.” 

While the off-season drama is expected to take more twists and turns, teams will need to shift their focus to the Qatar Grand Prix. Red Bull and Max Verstappen might have secured the driver’s championship, but the Constructor’s title is still up for grabs.

All eyes on the Formula 1 Constructor’s championship

McLaren is chasing its first Constructor’s title since 1998, and Ferrari since 2008. So you see, the Qatar Grand Prix could prove to be a decisive race for the two organizations in regaining their former glory. For the time being, McLaren has a leg up on their rivals, as they have carved up a 30-point gap after securing the Sprint race win with a one-two finish.

Interestingly, McLaren can conclude the championship if they are successful in the maximum number of points available at the Qatar Grand Prix. They need to ensure that they outscore Ferrari by 15 points and make sure they are not outscored by Red Bull by 23 or more points. This would be enough for them to secure the Constructor’s title. A total of 44 points is what Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will fight for at the Qatar Grand Prix.

Obviously, Ferrari has a steep climb ahead of them and will need to outscore the McLaren drivers. Even if they bag the maximum number of points, they will still trail McLaren by 14 points heading into Abu Dhabi. Well, these are just mathematical assumptions, and on-track results can certainly change this whole dynamics. All it takes is a big crash or a mechanical failure to alter the outcome of the projected results.

Who are you rooting for this weekend for the Qatar Grand Prix? Are you team McLaren or team Ferrari?