I’m not sure if FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem had been kicking back the prosecco’s a little too hard or if he’s simply not the statesman that the former presidents were but this was the most awkward moment of the FIA Prize Giving gala or 2022. F1 CEO, Stefano Domenicali, had to step in and herd MBS back in line.
Eddie Everywhere went full Eddie Everything! Watch video here!
In the end, you have to wonder if Christian Horner and red Bull are ever going to win a title without the drama, controversy and now the FIA back-handing him about who wrote the rules.
It’s interesting because form the outside looking in, it seemed that MBS came into the role as FIA president with a chip on his shoulder about Mercedes and Toto Wolff but he has since seemed to get a bit chippy with Horner and Red Bull of late.
In the end, I’m not sure how or why former president, Jean Todt, would lobby motor clubs for MBS or even if he did but in the past, Max Mosley lobbied hard for Jean Todt over Ari Vatanen. I wonder if Todt lobbied for MBS and if so, why.
I have to think there were other candidates who didn’t take everything so personally and would have been better positioned to manage the politics, pressure and scope of the FIA globally.
To be fair, it’s no easy role and especially now with all the issues MBS had to manage the day he took office. Michael Massi, the $20m deficit, a large law suit over HALO etc.
Awkward? You have got to be the master of understatement. This was hilarious.