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The president of motorsport’s world governing physique is beneath investigation for allegedly interfering within the race results of a Method 1 grand prix, in keeping with the BBC.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem allegedly intervened with stewards following the 2023 Saudi Arabia Grand Prix to overturn a penalty handed to Spanish driver Fernando Alonso.
Alonso completed the race in third place however was handed a 10-second penalty afterwards for not serving a earlier penalty appropriately.
The Spaniard wanted to be stationary throughout a pit cease for five seconds, with no work executed on his automotive, because of lining up incorrectly at the beginning of the race.
Stewards decided that Alonso’s pit crew had begun work on his automotive earlier than the 5 seconds elapsed, and consequently penalised the Spaniard 10 seconds on the finish of the race.
The penalty demoted Alonso to fourth, taking away what was his one hundredth profession podium end in F1.
Nevertheless, that penalty was overturned and Alonso was promoted again to 3rd place.
In a report by an FIA compliance officer to its ethics committee, which BBC Sport mentioned it had seen, a whistleblower mentioned the FIA president tried to intervene to overturn the penalty and promote Alonso again to 3rd.
Ben Sulayem was alleged to have contacted Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the FIA’s vice-president for sport for the Center East and North Africa area, who was on the race in an official capability and mentioned he believed the stewards ought to return Alonso to the rostrum.
ABC Sport has reached out to the FIA for remark.
Alonso completed fourth within the drivers’ championship final season, stage on factors with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and one level forward of McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Alonso would have completed sixth within the championship had the penalty in Saudi Arabia been upheld.
Method 1 returns to Saudi Arabia this weekend for the second spherical of the championship.
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