The energy and electricity in a Formula 1 paddock build slowly over race week. It starts slowly, as Thursday’s Media Day festivities see mostly team members, drivers, team principals, and the assembled media members wandering through the paddock and into the various team hospitality spaces. But by the weekend, the crowds swell and the energy rises, reaching a near-peak in the hours before the Grand Prix.
Yet two hours before the start of the United States Grand Prix this weekend, I found myself on the second floor of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile’s hospitality space, in a quiet office overlooking the paddock.
The office of FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
With two hours until the lights went out for the start of the United States Grand Prix, the FIA President was answering my questions about the future of the sport in the United States, the incoming Cadillac Formula 1 Team, his vision for a second term as FIA President, and more.
The growth of F1 in the US
President Ben Sulayem’s tenure has seen incredible growth of Formula 1 in the United States. The Miami Grand Prix joined the calendar during the 2022 F1 season, the Las Vegas Grand Prix debuted in 2023, and next year, an American manufacturer, Cadillac, will arrive on the grid as the 11th team.
And in the hours ahead of the 2025 United States Grand Prix, F1 confirmed that the race in Austin would remain on the calendar through the 2034 season.
That is where the discussion began.
“Texas deserved it, and this is a beautiful circuit,” began President Ben Sulayem.
“It’s one of the pioneers, you see, if you look at Miami that came later and then even Las Vegas, so, this is where in a way it was originated. So to have three long-term events in our calendar of the Formula One championship, it’s very important, the United States is a heavyweight, business is going good, otherwise they will not extend.”
In President Ben Sulayem’s mind, having three events in the United States is the right number. However, adding Cadillac to the grid is critical not just for the growth of the sport in the United States, but also because of the length of the season.
“Yes, I believe we have enough races in the calendar. 24 [races] is a bit tiring. Truly, I mean, you’re talking about logistics here, and you’re talking about people not just being in the race but being with the teams. Fatigue can take its toll when it comes to traveling,” said the FIA President.
“So we are happy with the amount of races, but also, if you ask me, when we opened the expression of interest [for a new F1 team] I thought that, ‘we have enough races, we need more teams.’”
President Ben Sulayem was a driving force behind the addition of Cadillac, and he pointed to the importance of the United States having an American manufacturer on the grid as another means of growing the sport in that market.
“The United States having three events and not having an OEM, it’s a bit incomplete. But having an OEM is very important. Of course you have the Ford supporting Red Bull, and we can’t forget that Haas is also, but I’m talking about an OEM,” said President Ben Sulayem. “I mean Gene Haas has been a good challenger in the Formula One.”
President Ben Sulayem then addressed the resistance he felt from the existing Formula 1 teams when the push for Cadillac to join the grid was initially made. That proposal was initially declined by Formula One Management (FOM) in early 2024 following initial approvals, but was eventually approved by FOM in late 2024.
“I know I had a massive resistance from the other teams. But I understand why,” began President Ben Sulayem. “The cake itself, I mean, who will come and divide it?
“I see their points.
“If I was in their position, I would have thought the same.”
The FIA President then turned to the idea of thinking about the bigger picture, the future of the sport, and fairness.
“Yes, it’s benefiting certain people, but as the governance body, we have to be fair with everyone, and, if a team comes today and leaves in a few years, we have to deal with the championship later on,” said President Ben Sulayem.
“If you look at the past, there are so many teams that came and went, even promoters. I mean, today we have a great promoter, Liberty Media, but sustaining the [Formula One] Championship is so important for us.”
The FIA’s role and his vision for a second term
President Ben Sulayem’s first term is drawing to a close, and he is standing for reelection in December where he will be unopposed.
That process has been a focus of debate in recent weeks, but as he looks ahead to a potential new term, President Ben Sulayem indicated that while much has been accomplished, there is more work to be done.
“We did a lot, but there’s more to come,” began President Ben Sulayem when I asked him about his vision for a second term.
“I mean, to me, when I came to the FIA, the FIA is not Formula One.
“Formula One is the pinnacle, but the WRC [World Rally Championship] is something that is dear to me and dear to a lot of people,” continued the FIA President. “You have rallying, you have the WEC [World Endurance Championship], you have karting, and one of my biggest challenges that I feel that we will do together is the United States.”
President Ben Sulayem then emphasized the importance of growing the karting market here in the United States and making karting more accessible.
“We never scratch the surface here,” began the FIA President.
“So when we want to grow motor sport, we have to have accessibility. Accessibility comes from affordability,” continued President Ben Sulayem. “So the cars are expensive, but then when you come to the grassroots in the United States, we do not work yet, hand-in-hand with karting.”
“These are the barriers I want to break. And to me, it’s important here [in the United States]. I’m not coming here to the United States and telling them what to do. No, the FIA is complementing. I’m not coming here and saying, ‘oh, we can do better.’
“No, join forces, add value. This is what I want. This is one of the things, to make karting cheaper worldwide.”
While the United States market is pivotal to his mind, and critical for a second term, there are two other markets where President Ben Sulayem wants to grow motorsport.
China and India, and he has several reasons.
Billions, to be more precise.
“2.8 billion [people],” pointed out President Ben Sulayem when I asked him why those two markets were essential for motorsport.
“And then the manufacturers in China are more than anywhere else. So how many do you have there?” asked the FIA President before answering his own question. “27 manufacturers. It’s pretty simple to add up.”
And also looking forward, President Ben Sulayem stressed what he wanted to bring to motorsport in the years ahead.
“Just keep the fairness. Honesty and fairness.
“Everything we do. Young drivers, and the drivers, the officials, the fans that come, the investment that goes on, people that go to an event, they might not be happy with the result, but one thing they would respect is that you are fair with them.”
Talking racing with a former driver
Improving the “racing spectacle” has been a goal of Formula One over the years.
Take this season, which saw new pit stop requirements at the Monaco Grand Prix, to try and improve the racing at the sport’s crown jewel. The lack of overtaking has been a major talking point among the fans, the media, and even the drivers. The latest was George Russell, who lamented the lack of overtaking following the United States Grand Prix.
Yet next year, new regulations arrive. I asked President Ben Sulayem if those new technical regulations could improve the racing spectacle.
“I mean, we had the old units, which are the MGU-H and it was put in for a reason at that time. But now, the world has changed when it comes to looking at what is best for the environment, what’s looking good for their sales, all of this [leading people to go] now more into hybrid,” began the FIA President.
“Now, with adapting to the new regulations, I inherited some of it in 2022, but then, and [I] looked with my team, consulted with the teams, consulted with the PUMs, and then we came to this benefit that this is the right solution for the current engine.
“The current engine, if you look at it, is 12 years old. It’s not a new engine in terms of FIA innovation. With Formula One, everything has to be new, and we have to be up to the challenges.”
Under the new regulations, the cars are going to be 30 kilograms lighter, which President Ben Sulayem believes provides a benefit, but also believes the cars need to be even smaller in the future.
“[The 2026 cars will be] lighter, which is beneficial to the driver and to us.
“We have to make them smaller, in the future.”
President Ben Sulayem also believes that the V8 engines will make a return as well.
“Strongly, I feel that there will be a V8 with a hybrid in it.
“The maturity comes back to the FIA in 2030, but I believe maybe we will do it one year earlier, giving a few years, three to four years to the manufacturers to enjoy, and benefit, and deliver out of what is going on now with the new changes.”
I then wanted to capitalize on President Ben Sulayem’s own background as a driver.
Whenever I get a chance to speak with a racecar driver, I make sure to ask them what the hardest part of their job is. So I then asked President Ben Sulayem, who has over 60 rally wins on his racing resume, that very same question.
His eyes lit up as he was given a chance to talk more about race craft.
“You never give up,” began the former driver.
He then turned to two themes: safety and fairness.
“Safety is very important, and fairness.
“And the FIA will always be fair, but we do make mistakes, [we are] human beings, so we are not the perfect federation. It will never happen,” continued the FIA President. “Someone asked me a question and said, ‘oh, in some of the incidents, the fans booed the FIA.’
“I said, ‘then it’s healthy!’
“Have you ever seen a a governing body or we see referees or stewards that have been cheered?” he then asked, clapping his hands together to simulate a cheering fan. “No. So we do have decisions, but we do them to be fair, and to be also safe for the drivers.”
He then pivoted back to the drivers of today and their intelligence.
“But the drivers. The changes now on the speed, the changes and the technology, my God, these drivers are intelligent,” continued the former driver. “They are very intelligent and very smart, and they’re becoming younger and younger by the day.”
The 2025 F1 season
As our time grew short, I wanted to ask one final question, and as I phrased it to President Ben Sulayem, it might have been the toughest one.
Who does he think wins the F1 Drivers’ Championship?
As I expected, President Ben Sulayem demurred. “I’m not supposed to,” he began in response with a smile.
But he did offer a prediction of sorts.
The title is going down to the final laps of the season.
“It seems like it,” when I asked if the title fight between Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, and Lando Norris would last until the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“I mean, if you won, it was always the other way. Most of the time, the Drivers’ championship would have ended earlier, and the manufacturer will end up later.
“Now it’s not, which is exciting.”
It absolutely is.
