Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali discussed the power struggle between the FIA and F1 management, labeling the latter’s letter to the governing body crucial to clarify the roles of each entity.
The relationship between F1 and its governing body has been tensed to say the least recently, with FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, pushing to add more F1 teams, namely Andretti-Cadillac, while teams and FOM are taking their time on it.
What made matters worse was Ben Sulayem’s comments on the value of F1 claiming the $20-Billion figure is inflated, a statement F1 owners Liberty Media did not appreciate, prompting them to send a strongly-worded legal letter to the FIA objecting on its president actions which they considered as overstepping of his authority as well as the body he resides on.
In a recent exclusive interview with Sky Sports F1, Stefano Domenicali spoke to respected pundit Martin Brundle over various topics on the sport, and naturally the Ben Sulayem matter was brought up.
Asked about the letter Liberty sent to the FIA, Domenicali said: “I think that it was important to clarify the role of each of us.
“And I think that there’s no other things to comment, because I think that we need to stay focused on what we believe is right, for the growth of the sport.
“We believe that if even if it was just, let’s say a news, there was not any news, if I may say. The value of a sport is growing, we should be all happy, because that means that we all are doing a great job,” he added.
Any kind of personalism is not helpful
Domenicali was asked to reflect on the relationship between F1 and its governing body following Ben Sulayem’s ascendency into the president role.
He explained: “With Mohammed Ben Sulayem coming in as a new president last year it was clear that, as normal when there is a new president, there is a manifesto he has to respect because that was his proposition in front of the members that voted him.
“Then there is a need and the time to adjust, to have the right thing to assess the right role within the FIA with regards to what the role is in the F1 championship.
“There’s no secret to say that the key of success of our sport is to have everyone doing his job, in the right way for the benefit of the growth of the sport. We all have the interest to make sure the sport is growing.
“Any kind of personalism is not helpful for that,” the F1 CEO insisted. “We have all the interest to make sure that our sport is growing.
“We have to do a better job as a commercial holder, the team, and the driver has to do their own job to make that in the right way.
“The same is for the FIA that has one year to develop, to grow, to work on a new team, and they have to deliver the job because everyone put his credibility on the end of the other, we are all united, if someone is not doing the right job, that will be a problem,” the Italian and former Ferrari team boss maintained.
Since the controversy broke out, the FIA announced that Ben Sulayem will step back from day to day running of F1 delegating the job to FIA’s Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis.