Anger at FIA boss

Schumacher lashes out: “Nothing surprises me anymore!”

Ralf Schumacher has lashed out at FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem.(Bild: GEPA)

Ex-Formula 1 racing driver Ralf Schumacher has lashed out at FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem. According to the German, he is not doing his job well at all and is constantly getting caught up in power struggles. Schumacher is particularly angry about the departure of race director Niels Wittich. 

The resignation of race director Wittich a few days ago caused a tremor within Formula 1. And the issue has also left its mark on Ralf Schumacher, as he explains in an interview with "Formel1.de": "With Wittich, the FIA is losing a really super-capable race director who always made his decisions well. That's why this is very surprising."

Schumacher suspected that differences of opinion with FIA President Mohammed bin Sulayem could be behind the resignation. "At the moment, nothing surprises me at the FIA, especially under the current president," said the former Formula 1 professional tellingly. 

Schumacher not convinced by the president
Bin Sulayem wants to have a say in all areas, complains Schumacher, and therefore also has an idea of what might have happened: "There were probably other opinions on the role of race director on the part of bin Sulayem, but Wittich probably wanted to maintain his independence as race director. And they obviously didn't come to an agreement. Bin Sulayem was obviously more powerful and arranged it that way." Rumors to this effect are also currently circulating in the Formula 1 circus.

Either way, however, this episode would reinforce his impression of the current FIA boss, Schumacher makes clear: "He is not a good president," is his hard-hitting conclusion. He goes on to explain: "I believe that a good FIA president uses his influence to make the situation better for the FIA, for the drivers. But here it's more of a constant scramble to have more power in Formula 1."