New whistleblower allegations say FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem wanted the Las Vegas Grand Prix out of the Formula 1 calendar.
According to the BBC, Ben Sulayem wanted FIA officials to make up reasons to avoid certifying the Las Vegas street circuit for its inaugural race last season.
“Issues on the circuit were meant to be artificially identified regardless of their actual existence, with the ultimate goal of withholding the license,” says the BBC report.
At least three other officials were named in the report, but their names have not been revealed publicly.
It is unclear why Ben Sulayem wanted the race out of the calendar.
“From a sporting and safety perspective, the Las Vegas circuit approval followed FIA protocol in terms of inspection and certification.
“If you recall, there was a delay in the track being made available for inspection due to ongoing local organizer construction works,” the whistleblower said.
The race in Las Vegas was deemed successful, even after it faced issues during the first day of practice sessions when a drain cover came loose.
Ben Sulayem under investigation
News broke on Monday that the FIA President was under investigation for interfering with the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix results.
A whistleblower said Ben Sulayem asked the stewards to overturn a 10-second time penalty given to Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, which was given when the Spaniard’s mechanics worked on his car while serving a previous penalty, something not allowed in Formula 1.