FIA denies preferential treatment Mercedes

Much to Red Bull Racing's anger, it was already leaked in Singapore that the team had exceeded its budget cap. The news led to a flood of publications and rumours, as well as team bosses demanding hefty penalties for Red Bull.

Red Bull's team management was quick to point to the FIA and Shaila-Ann Rao in particular as a possible leak. Rao is an interim lawyer at the FIA, having previously worked at Mercedes. Speaking to Motorsport.com, FIA boss Mohammed Ben Sulayem now tells that no one in his organisation was the leak. He adds that he finds it very annoying that so much is leaked in the paddock. He refers to a meeting with team bosses in Austria, whose talks were leaked before everyone had even left the room.

Harsh

Sulayem also denies that the FIA favours Mercedes over Red Bull. Again, he refers to Rao, who allegedly said the punishment for Red Bull was very harsh. "I looked and said: “I looked and said: 'My god, there is someone who is accusing her of being with Mercedes, and she’s saying to me that it’s harsh on Red Bull.'”

The question is whether Sulayem's words have ensured that Red Bull has no doubts about the FIA anymore. Indeed, it would have been very surprising if the FIA boss had admitted to favouring Mercedes and that his organisation was the leak.