Lewis Hamilton has delivered a damning assessment of the leader of Formula One’s governing body, stating he has never had confidence in Mohammed Ben Sulayem and lambasting the FIA and F1 for a lack of accountability.
Speaking before this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton criticised the sport’s male-dominated culture and praised Susie Wolff, the managing director of the all-female series the F1 Academy, for standing up for herself in filing a criminal complaint against the governing body over its handling of an investigation into a potential conflict of interest.
Wolff and her husband, the Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, were investigated in December 2023 after an allegation that confidential information was passed between an employee of the sport’s owners Formula One Management (FOM) and a team member. The F1 Academy, which Wolff runs, is owned and run by FOM.
The Wolffs denied the allegations and within two days the FIA adjudged neither party had a case to answer with no explanation of the rationale behind their investigation, its findings or how it reached its conclusions.
In Melbourne, after Wolff had made public that she had filed a complaint in early March, Hamilton was asked if Ben Sulayem, who has been president since December 2021, was the right person to be in charge of the FIA and if he enjoyed the British driver’s backing. His answer was unequivocal.
“He never has,” Hamilton stated bluntly. The seven-time world champion continued, expressing his disenchantment with how the sport was dealing with what it deems are internal issues and warned it was damaging the reputation of F1.
“There is a real lack of accountability here, within this sport, within the FIA,” he said. “There are things that are happening behind closed doors, there is no transparency, there is really no accountability and we need that. The fans need that. How can you trust the sport and what is happening here if you don’t have that?”
When Susie Wolff was investigated last year she condemned it as causing huge reputational damage to her and her husband describing it as “insulting” and rooted “in intimidatory and misogynistic behaviour”. She made clear her intent to defend herself robustly.
“I’m incredibly proud of Susie,” Hamilton added. “I think she is so brave, and she stands for such great values. She’s such a leader and in a world where often people are silenced, for her to be standing up sends such a great message.
“So, hopefully this stand that she’s taking now will create change, will have a positive impact, and especially for women. It is still a male-dominated sport, and we’re living in a time where the message is if you file a complaint, you will be fired, and that is a terrible narrative to be projecting to the world, especially when we’re talking about inclusivity here in the sport. We need to make sure we stay true to the core values.”
The sport has been the subject of intense scrutiny in it deals with complaints, allegations and grievances, over question marks in transparency and process, which have been impossible to ignore in recent weeks.