FIA's Ben Sulayem declares bid for second term

Mohammed Ben Sulayem volition basal for a 2nd four-year word arsenic FIA president successful December, and said helium would invited immoderate rival campaigner and that helium is connected a ngo to turn motorsport and marque Formula 1's governing assemblage stronger.

Speaking to Reuters astatine the Monaco Grand Prix, the Emirati said helium had taken the decision, which was wide assumed, aft conferring with members of the International Automobile Federation.

"I consciousness having 3 years successful a analyzable federation similar the FIA is not enough," the 63-year-old erstwhile rally operator explained, stating his re-election bid openly for the archetypal time.

He said helium was arrogant of what had been achieved nether his mandate and saw nary crushed to bash thing otherwise 2nd clip around.

"Do I request much time? Yes. Has it been easy? Never. Has it been enjoyable? Sometimes.

"So, I americium going [to stand]. I consulted with astir of the members. I talk to them."

The Emirati said helium wanted to "keep increasing motorsport. To marque the FIA stronger and stronger. This is my ambition and that's what I volition do."

He suggested the FIA, which yet owns the Formula 1 title though the semipermanent commercialized rights are held by Liberty Media, had been "neglected.

"Raw deals person been fixed to the FIA. It doesn't marque consciousness to maine that 1 [F1] operator and 1 squad main marque much wealth than each of the FIA, and the FIA owns the championship. Is that fair?" helium said.

Ben Sulayem's archetypal word has been marked by contention since helium was elected successful 2021 arsenic successor to erstwhile Ferrari squad brag Jean Todt.

There person been battles with Liberty Media implicit commercialized matters and accusations of sexism, and helium has angered drivers successful some rallying and Formula 1 by clamping down connected swearing with dense fines.

Senior unit person near the FIA, starring to reports of an exodus, and determination person been questions raised astir statute changes that critics accidental volition bounds the powers of audit and morals committees.

On the concern side, FIA is thriving. Last week the federation reported a €4.7 cardinal ($5.34m) nett aft reporting a nonaccomplishment of €24m successful 2021.

A caller "Concorde Agreement" betwixt each Formula 1 stakeholders is being negotiated and some the FIA and Liberty Media accidental talks are going well.

Former FIA caput wide for motorsport Shaila-Ann Rao, 1 of the high-profile departees, has returned arsenic an advisor to the president, and Cadillac volition articulation arsenic an 11th squad successful 2026 aft FIA backing successful the look of archetypal F1 resistance.

"I cleaned up the FIA house," said Ben Sulayem, who recognised determination were enemies who wanted him retired but said that was of nary concern. "Honest radical are there. My backmost is not anymore with knives successful it.

"All of this negativity; 'Oh, he's unpredictable, he's precise controversial'. I americium the past 1 who cares what they [the critics and media] do, what they say. To maine it is ever astir the (FIA) members.

"But I americium much than happy. Maybe I americium doing thing that irritates them."

No rival campaigner has committed to lasting against the Emirati, though doubly satellite rally champion Carlos Sainz -- begetter of the Formula 1 operator and namesake -- is considering doing so.

Ben Sulayem said helium would beryllium blessed for Sainz to basal and it would beryllium for others to determine connected immoderate imaginable struggle of interest.

"Let him stand. That is democracy," helium said.