P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Following allegations of race tampering emerged from a whistleblower, a second BBC report has brought fresh claims against Ben Sulayem.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is facing new allegations from a whistleblower, as reported by the BBC, regarding his alleged interference with certifying the Las Vegas street circuit for its debut event last season. The same whistleblower previously claimed that Ben Sulayem had requested officials to reverse a penalty for Fernando Alonso at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. According to the BBC’s report based on information from the FIA’s compliance officer, the whistleblower stated they were instructed, supposedly by the FIA president, to prevent the circuit from being approved for racing. An FIA spokesperson stated that the Las Vegas circuit’s approval adhered to FIA protocols for safety and inspection, despite initial delays due to local construction. The inaugural Las Vegas Grand Prix, promoted by F1 itself, encountered challenges but was considered successful, with thrilling on-track action. The whistleblower’s investigation suggested a deliberate attempt to find faults on the track to withhold its license, implicating three other officials named in the report, although their identities remain undisclosed. These controversies add to the turbulent start of the year for F1, which had already been rocked by claims against Red Bull’s Christian Horner; an internal investigation by Red Bull GmbH subsequently cleared him of any wrongdoing.
