Formula One: Lewis Hamilton lauds Susie Wolff’s action against FIA, says he’s never backed its ruler, Mohammed ben Sulayem
- Asked if 62-year-old Emirati Ben Sulayem remains the right person in charge of the FIA and if he still has his backing, Hamilton said: ‘He never has.’
- The British Mercedes driver also said he was ‘incredibly proud of Susie’ for taking a stand for accountability in ‘a male-dominated sport’
Lewis Hamilton said he has never supported Formula One’s ruler, Mohammed ben Sulayem, and believes the sport is sending out a “message that if you file a complaint, you will be fired” amid the Christian Horner controversy.
Ben Sulayem, elected as FIA president in December 2021, was cleared by his own organisation’s ethics committee on Wednesday after he was accused of meddling with the result of last year’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and attempting to block the certification of F1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix on the Strip in November.
But four hours later, on another whirlwind day in the controversy-hit world of F1, Susie Wolff announced she had filed a criminal complaint against the FIA following the sporting federation’s conflict-of-interest inquiry in December into her and husband, Toto, the team principal of Hamilton’s Mercedes team.
Earlier this month, Christian Horner’s accuser was suspended on full pay in the wake of Red Bull’s investigation into alleged “inappropriate behaviour” by the F1 team principal. The employee of the Milton Keynes team has since appealed against the decision to exonerate Horner.
Speaking ahead of this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix, Hamilton was asked if 62-year-old Emirati Ben Sulayem remains the right person in charge of the FIA and if he still has his backing.
“He never has,” said Hamilton. The seven-time world champion was then asked for his thoughts on Wolff’s decision to launch legal action.
“Firstly, I’m incredibly proud of Susie,” said Hamilton, a two-time winner of the Australian Grand Prix. “I think she is so brave, and she stands for such great values.
