FIA president Ben Sulayem at the Dakar

FIA president Mohamed Ben Sulayem has dismissed suggestions that he has overseen a ‘reign of terror’ since taking office in 2021.

The 63-year-old was responding to comments made by former F1 steward Tim Mayer, who recently announced his intention to stand in this year’s presidential election.

In an interview with The Race, Ben Sulayem was asked if he had been annoyed by Mayer’s criticism, and said: “Not really. It’s just that some people are disconnected to the FIA.

“At the time of elections, we say a tongue has no bones. They can say whatever they feel if that’s the way to get them electoral votes.

“But let me ask you a question: have you ever read any article where I mentioned someone in a bad way? No. Thank you. That’s not my style.

“My style is connecting with the members, listening to them, and having the trust with them. That’s the only thing.”

Tim Mayer will challenge Mohammed Ben Sulayem for the FIA presidency

Ben Sulayem ‘not bothered’ by criticism

He went on to invite journalists to visit the governing body’s headquarters to see how things are run for themselves.

He continued: “Have you been in the office of the FIA? I would like you to go to Geneva and go to Paris to see, and you are the one who decides if it is a reign of terror.

“No. People can speak and I am not a one-man show, because everything goes through governance [processes], and we have our ethics [committees].

“So really, it doesn’t bother me at all. I wish him well, whoever comes.”

Mayer – who was dismissed from his position in November 2024 – isn’t the first high-profile figure once employed by the FIA to question the culture within the organisation in recent years.

That list includes ex-chief executive officer Natalie Robyn, and former deputy president for sport, Robert Reid, who resigned from his role in April of this year.

Ben Sulayem has also been on the receiving end of criticism from some of the sport’s top drivers, with multiple-time world champions Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton among those to voice their concerns, as well as Grand Prix Drivers’ Association director, George Russell.