According to BBC reports, the news has spread that Mohammed ben Sulayem may have had "influence" on the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Since then, several other media outlets have confirmed the information.
According to the English reports, an official investigation has already been launched into the matter. The president of the International Automobile Federation is accused of using his connections after the Saudi race to pressure some decision-makers to cancel Fernando Alonso's ten-second penalty.
As it is remembered, after a comical back-and-forth, the third place eventually fell into the lap of Aston Martin's ace, George Russell, as the previous penalty was rescinded. Alonso's mechanics were penalized during the race for a five-second penalty because one of them touched his car with the jack, leading to the reprimand.
An informant who spoke to the BBC claims that Sulayem called a high-ranking sports official after the race, namely Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and drew attention to the need to cancel Alonso's penalty. The investigation of the case will take 1-1.5 months. Now the question remains: what could the vice president responsible for sports in the Middle East/North African region have to do with FIA decisions...
