FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem investigated for alleged race interference

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is under investigation for allegedly interfering with a Formula 1 race last year according to multiple reports.

As first reported by the BBC, an FIA ethics committee investigation has been looking at a claim Ben Sulayem made it clear that a penalty handed out to Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso at last year’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix should be revoked.

The FIA is yet to comment on the reports.

The 10-second penalty handed out to the Spanish driver meant he dropped to fourth place from third in the race behind Red Bull drivers Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen, and also Mercedes’ George Russell.

Alonso’s penalty was removed after Aston Martin successfully argued the team’s case to race stewards.

Alonso, who started the race in P2 and led for the first four laps after overtaking pole-sitter Perez, was given a five-second time penalty for an incorrect start position after lining up too far to the left of his grid box.

The Spaniard served the penalty under a Safety Car when his team-mate Lance Stroll broke down on the 19th lap but was then later hit with a further 10-second penalty.

That was because stewards deemed the pit crew broke the rules by working on his car before the initial five-second penalty had elapsed, with the rear jack in contact with his AMR23.

Alonso was only handed the penalty after the race and celebrations had been completed, prompting him to call the decision a “poor show” from the FIA.

Aston Martin appealed the decision and received a right to review on the basis that there had been seven previous examples of a jack touching a car while a penalty was being served that had not been punished.

The stewards subsequently reversed their decision the following morning.

At the time, there was no suggestion there was anything untoward.