by On the track Formula One was a prosaic affair in 2023. Max Verstappen’s title shot looked as certain and dominant as the sport had seen. But after the final checkered flag fell behind the scenes there were further signs of unease, distrust and conflict at the heart of the sport.
Two days before Christmas, it was revealed that Steve Nielsen, sporting director of F1’s governing body, the FIA, had stepped down from his role after less than a year in the job. Appointed in January, it was brought in to address perceived failures in the FIA’s management of race control, particularly following the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix controversy that so angered Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team.
Related: Lewis Hamilton criticizes the FIA’s ongoing investigation into Toto and Susie Wolff
Nielsen was well received. He was experienced and respected, with spells at Lotus, Tyrell, Williams and Benetton and more recently with F1 owner Formula One Management (FOM).
FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem approached his appointment as part of the plan to restructure and improve the governing body’s F1 regulation. Nielsen reportedly felt frustrated that the FIA would not address the changes he believed were necessary and was unhappy with its direction..
His premature departure comes after a catalog of turmoil that has brought Ben Sulayem and the FIA into this season and which has put him at odds with the commercial rights holder, FOM, and at times with the teams.
Two weeks before Nielsen’s resignation, the head of the FIA’s commission for women, Deborah Mayer, also resigned from office. Before the two events left the year had already ended in disgrace for the FIA. He caused concern when he launched a conflict of interest investigation into Mercedes principal Toto Wolff and his wife, Susie, who runs the sport’s all-female series, the F1 Academy.
It came to nothing. Mercedes criticized the investigation as did Susie Wolff, who called it “offensive”. FOM warned against “making clever and serious allegations without substance”. A day later each of the other nine teams issued a statement confirming that they had made no complaints about information being passed between the Wolffs.
The FIA immediately performed a volte-face and announced that there was no case to answer but did not give their reasons for opening the inquiry. There could still be consequences as it is still in the hands of the lawyers representing Mercedes and Wolff.
The Observer understands that FOM was deeply concerned that the reputation of the sport was being informed on the basis of little or no apparent evidence and added strain to the increasingly strained relationship with the FIA.
FOM’s trust and confidence in the FIA has been repeatedly damaged while in the hands of Ben Sulayem. There was a conflict with Hamilton regarding the driver who was wearing jewelery while racing; protest against the expansion of sprint races; and then drivers were pressed to express their views on social and political issues which had been criticized and which had to be quickly clarified to explain that it only referred to areas already controlled by the FIA, such as the podium . A clumsy attempt to break a butterfly on a wheel.
This year more so when Ben Sulayem openly questioned the commercial value of the sport, to which FOM responded strongly, warning him that he had interfered with his rights in an “unacceptable” way. In April he faced allegations that he did not take sexism within the FIA seriously, which the governing body vehemently denied. However, the claims came after quotes made on his old personal website more than 20 years ago were made public in which he apparently stated that he did not like women who think they are smarter than men … because they are not, in truth”. Ben Sulayem denied misogyny and the FIA responded by stating that his comments “do not reflect the beliefs of the president of the FIA” and pointed out that he had a “strong record for the promotion of women and equality in sport”.
Still, at the time one insider told gardaí: “Sadly, it’s a running joke in the paddock.” The events of the final weeks of 2023 will not change that view. The FIA is yet to make a statement on Nielsen, or explain its investigation into the Wolffs.
Transparency and trust are lacking, but needless antagonism seems to be the order of the day. In late November Ben Sulayem said he would bring Abu Dhabi 2021 race director Michael Masi back to the FIA if needed. Masi was responsible for the decisions that almost certainly cost Hamilton the title, and were later described by the FIA own investigation as “good faith” human error. Mercedes, Wolff and many fans were furious at the time and still Masi is responsible.
The spate of incidents raises questions about whether the FIA is fit for purpose under the current leadership or whether the governing body is going from pillar to post. The situation cannot be ignored. The relationship between the FIA and F1 is already straining and every additional cold increases the tension. Further discontent with the FIA in the new year will fuel a growing political fire.
