FIA president Ben Sulayem fires back at critics as Mercedes dominance sparks complaints

Speaking to Forbes ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, Ben Sulayem insisted the FIA took a collaborative approach before introducing the changes and stressed that every team had ample time to prepare.

Ben Sulayem has suggested that dissatisfaction with the new rules is closely tied to on-track performance, highlighting the contrast between teams at the front and those struggling further back.

Regarding the results of the pre-season testing, he said, “Some of them had an issue with the car, the power unit, and some had [an issue] with the chassis, but it’s amazing how only the people who are behind are complaining. Did you hear Mercedes or Ferrari complain? No, of course they won’t. It’s a cycle.”

Mercedes has emerged as the dominant force under the new regulations, winning all four races so far this season and opening up a sizeable lead in the championship standings.

While Ferrari has a clear advantage in their starts, they lag behind Mercedes and have only stood on two podiums. One with Charles Leclerc and one with Lewis Hamilton.

Another team with two podiums is McLaren, which had a rougher start to the season than Mercedes or Ferrari. Oscar Piastri also secured two podiums despite failing to start the opening two races of the season.

Ben Sulayem continued, “It’s today you have someone who is so good, and then everybody wants to take his place. And that’s the competitors being competitive. But [the criticism is] only from the people who maybe didn’t do it right.”

At the beginning of the season, criticism came from both the teams and the drivers. Some drivers, including Max Verstappen, were not happy with the new regulations and voiced their opinions. This sparked backlash within the F1 community, with pundits like Juan Pablo Montoya arguing that Verstappen should be penalised for publicly criticising the FIA.

Following backlash from drivers and F1 fans alike, Ben Sulayem said, “We had a discussion after Australia, we had to discuss it with our technical department and the single-seater [commission], and then we came with consultation with the drivers. So we consulted with the drivers on how to apply the electrification, and a matter of safety, and now it seems it’s better.”

Despite talks with the drivers, some believe there is room for improvement. Speaking to GPblog and others at the Miami Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton said, “I mean, all the drivers, we do work together, we all meet, but the fact is, we don't have a seat at the table engaging with the FIA in Formula 1. Formula 1 is more often a little bit more reactive."