FIA president lashes out: 'Any buyer is advised to apply common sense'

Mohammed Ben Sulayem has responded to the news that Saudi Arabia has tried to buy Formula One. On Twitter, the FIA president lashed out harshly at the suggestion that the sport was for sale.

Recently, Bloomberg announced that the government of Saudi Arabia - through the sovereign wealth fund PIF - tried to place a $20 billion bid for Formula 1 in 2022. Although this was almost five times what Liberty Media had paid in 2017, Liberty Media would still have turned down that bid.

Clear language from FIA president

Ben Sulayem has now responded to this news on behalf of the FIA, and he does not have a good word to say about possible buyers. Although the president does not mention any specific names in the message, his response does seem to be a not-so-subtle reference to Bloomberg's reporting and PIF's attempts to buy Formula 1.

On Twitter, Ben Sulayem said the following: "As the custodians of motorsport, the FIA, as a non-profit organisation, is cautious about alleged inflated price tags of $20bn being put on F1. Any potential buyer is advised to apply common sense, consider the greater good of the sport and come with a clear, sustainable plan – not just a lot of money. It is our duty to consider what the future impact will be for promoters in terms of increased hosting fees and other commercial costs, and any adverse impact that it could have on fans."