In the round-up: FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem says he is “overwhelmed” by the support of the governing body’s membership after being cleared over alleged interference in two rounds of last year’s world championship.
In brief
Ben Sulayem hits out at critics
Ben Sulayem said “the media try to massacre me and assassinate me” following the allegations over his actions at the Saudi Arabian and Las Vegas grands prix last year, which an FIA Ethics Committee cleared him of a month ago.
“I am active,” he told Grand Prix 247. “Look at the support. Go on the FIA website. I am overwhelmed by the support of the members.”
The FIA has published letters from three groups of member clubs in recent months declaring their support for Ben Sulayem. Some urged him to take legal action against those behind the claims. “It is the [FIA] members who put me here,” he said. “It is not the media, nor the drivers, nor the F1 teams.”
Ben Sulayem said his critics “don’t have the courage and the guts to come to me.”
“I can stand tall and look you in the eyes, as a sportsman for 40 years, there are rules that I respect. If I did not respect the rules, I would not be here.”
“I know who is behind it but I can’t say,” he added.
New Thai Grand Prix rumours
Alexander Albon may have a another home race in the future as Thailand has begun discussions over holding a round of the world championship.
Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali met with Thai prime minister Srettha Thavisin to discuss the possibility of holding a race in the country’s capital Bangkok. Thavisin said his government is “ready to fully facilitate” a race in the country. “I sincerely hope that this trip to Thailand to explore the possibility of expanding the Formula 1 competition in Thailand will allow the company to gain insights and surveyed and studied the route that shows Thailand’s potential to host a Formula One competition.”
Thailand’s previous bid for an F1 race, which was originally supposed to take place on a street circuit in Bangkok in 2014, was scuppered by a military coup that year during which much of its constitution was suspended.
Thavisin’s appointment as prime minister last year was controversial. A businessmen with no prior experience in government, he took the role when the country’s powerful military acted to install a representative of the Pheu Thai party in charge, favouring the runners-up in the previous election over the victorious Move Forward…
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