What happens after an angry letter?

(Motorsport-Total.com) – Formula 1 loves controversy, however this week’s FOM letter to FIA president Mohammed bin Sulayem is one thing even greater.

This is not only a story within the ongoing Formula 1 collection on Netflix, however may very well be the beginning of a brand new dynamic in the best way the game is made.

Because whereas FIA ​​president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali have lengthy maintained a united public entrance, insiders know issues have been totally different behind the scenes.

Months of rigidity have simmered away from the eye of tv cameras, microphones and reporters’ notebooks.

While most disagreements between the FIA ​​and Formula 1 homeowners Liberty Media have been resolved amicably behind closed doorways with out airing the soiled laundry, issues took a dramatic flip this week.

Formula 1’s letter to Bin Sulayem, angry over his feedback concerning the sport’s $20 billion valuation, has sparked “open warfare” between the game’s regulator and the business rights holder, a senior paddock supply has stated.

open energy wrestle

The present dispute is a far cry from the a long time when the FIA ​​and FOM handled one another like doom and gloom.

In truth, it is the precise reverse of when then FIA president Max Mosley and Bernie Ecclestone co-invented Formula 1.

Now it is like going again to the early Nineteen Eighties when there was a warfare between FISA and FOCA – with FIA chief Jean-Marie Balestre on one facet, Ecclestone on the opposite, and little in widespread between them.

The straw that broke the camel’s again this week was bin Sulayem’s means of voicing his considerations a few rumored $20 billion bid for Formula One by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. But recently, the strain between him and FOM has steadily elevated.

There had been quite a lot of occasions and reactions that aggravated the scenario. Some of those relate to the governing physique and its method to F1 regulatory points.

These embody what has been seen as an unsatisfactory response to the FIA’s blunders on the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Sulayem’s preliminary ban on additional dash races in 2023 and considerations over the selections of some race officers and the enforcement of final yr’s guidelines. The security automotive at Monza and the factors confusion on the Japanese Grand Prix.

Bin Sulayem’s desire for coping with circumstances personally slightly than utilizing the same old presidential channels has additionally angered some events.

It will be argued that non-public management will be highly effective. So final yr bin Sulayem spoke to all of the drivers and groups concerning the pig downside to formulate an reply. But there have been occasions when such an angle angered these within the sport.

Notably, the FIA ​​press launch quoting him earlier than he knew Formula 1 could be introduced within the document 2023 calendar, and his embarrassing second on stage on the FIA ​​gala with Red Bull crew principal Christian Horner. Confusion on the Japanese Grand Prix.

However, the scenario escalated final week resulting from some social media posts made by bin Sulayem on his private account.

First, he criticized the opposition to Andretti’s new crew bid, though rivals have largely stored their opinions to themselves on the topic. But now his feedback about Saudi Arabia’s curiosity and the $20 billion price ticket on the game are a step too far.

The scenario highlights every thing that has been troubling the paddock: Bin Sulayem’s must mount a powerful private response to what insiders say is an understatement.

Because the set off was not the Saudis’ ideas of shopping for Formula 1, however negotiations to start out sponsoring races in the course of the Italian Grand Prix in 2021, which didn’t materialize.

The resurgence of this story means that it was intentionally printed to publicize the $20 billion determine. Who advantages most from the dialog and why proper now could be anybody’s guess.

However, shares of the Formula 1 Group ( FWONA ) rose to $63.60 on the day earlier than a sustained decline, from lower than $59 on Friday earlier than the Bloomberg information.

The worth enhance additionally means that $20 billion does not appear extreme provided that FWONA’s market cap is presently round $16 billion.

The affect of groups

While the groups at the moment are sitting on the sidelines as observers of the race between Formula 1 and the FIA, they’re holding an in depth eye on how issues unfold.

Because when Formula 1 goes from energy to energy with document scores and revenues, the battle for energy on the high will be an pointless distraction.

Several sources Motorsport.com spoke to indicated that the incidents didn’t increase considerations about potential injury to groups or Formula 1’s world picture amongst sponsors and followers.

The survival of the groups, particularly the earnings from business rights, shouldn’t be affected. Even if relations between bin Sulayem and the FOM utterly break down, the governing buildings will permit the FIA ​​to permit weekend races, rule adjustments, and so forth. ought to permit monitoring issues like

The greatest change may come on the FIA, relying on how the governing council members view Bin Sulayem’s actions.

The FOM’s warning that the FIA ​​may very well be held accountable for damages attributable to the President’s assertion didn’t go unnoticed by FOM members. In specific, authorities regulators will preserve an in depth eye on something that improperly impacts an organization’s valuation.

Consider Elon Musk, who was fined a complete of $40 million by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 2018. He was accused of deceptive traders by tweeting that he was contemplating taking Tesla personal.

In addition, the FOM letter recalled that the FIA ​​had way back agreed to not intervene within the business affairs of Formula 1.

In 2001, as a part of approval by EU antitrust authorities, it grew to become clear the place the FIA’s management would finish. The European Commission’s press launch on the time acknowledged: “The FIA’s position is restricted to that of a sports activities regulator with no business battle of curiosity.”

Further: “Therefore the business use of the FIA ​​Formula 1 Championship is not going to be affected.” Thus a transparent boundary was established.

A imaginative and prescient for the longer term

What happens now? In the brief time period, it is going to be attention-grabbing to see whether or not bin Sulayem will stand by his assertion, apologize or change his techniques additional.

It could be a mistake to imagine that in the long run Formula 1 might be restricted to nothing greater than a coup by the FIA ​​in order that another person can take it over. However, Formula 1 first desires the governing physique to outline its areas of duty extra clearly.

But what he will definitely demand is a assure that the FIA ​​will keep on with what it agreed with the EU a long time in the past: to not intervene or affect business affairs.

Ben Sulayem himself stated for a very long time that he didn’t see any main issues between him and Domenicali. At final yr’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, he stated they’d speak to one another each two days.

At final weekend’s Monte Carlo Rally, the FIA ​​president reiterated that every thing goes properly, though he is aware of there might be occasions when the Formula 1 promoter must act in his personal means. “Yes, however the FIA ​​additionally has to do its job,” he stated, including: “The good factor is that I’ve relationship with Stefano.”

“Stefano comes from a motorsport and automotive background, which makes it simpler for each events to maneuver ahead. It’s not such as you herald somebody who is aware of enterprise and is aware of nothing about sports activities, no.”

Bin Sulayem additionally took the chance to elucidate that many rumors about friction between the FIA ​​and the FOM began by way of the media. They speak about outright separation in case of any potential battle.

However, Formula 1’s letter to the FIA ​​revealed that the above break up was not a pipe dream. Rather, it’s a actual battle to regulate the longer term course of Formula 1 that may dominate the paddock agenda within the coming months.