FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has apologized to DirtFish for the time it’s taking him to fix the World Rally Championship.
Two years ago, Ben Sulayem told this website about his plans to fix the sport he’d cut his teeth in. On Friday, during the Dakar’s rest day in Saudi Arabia, he met with DirtFish to offer his thoughts on the WRC.
“We talked about this a long time ago,” he told Colin Clark. “Even before I became a president, we talked about this.
“I’m sorry, I would say I was very busy with fixing the FIA. The WRC was part of it. If you fix the FIA and don’t fix the WRC there will not be a WRC – there will not be a championship if the FIA doesn’t exist.
“Now, I feel I can tell you that the house is back. I fixed the house and we are fixing the WRC.”
There will be 10 Rally1 entries at some WRC events this year. Half of those are from one manufacturer.
Ben Sulayem wholeheartedly backed the FIA World Motor Sport Council decision to bring about technical regulation changes to make Rally1 cars cheaper for this season.
“I’m telling you,” he added, “soon, the bold decision that we took, for the regulation, you will see the fruits. Maybe the manufacturer won’t come at the beginning [but they will]. Sustaining motorsport is sustaining business; the regulations have to be done in the way that attracts also manufacturers but it is about being cost-related, it’s about affordability. If we want to grow it we have to have the affordability side of it.
“Look at the WRC, it was getting very expensive when it was electrified. I took a decision with the World Council, which was a bold decision, to remove electrification and to keep sustainable fuel.
“We will reach to our goals with sustainability.”
Ben Sulayem added that he was pleased with improved relations between the WRC’s governance and commercial arms.
World Rallycross will get a new promoter in March this year, according to Ben Sulayem
He added: “We understand: we cover the sporting side of it and we help them (WRC Promoter). I am optimistic now much more than when we met before in 2022 or 2023. And you will see the result because the FIA is fixed mainly of the promotion. You can’t just give the contract and let them go. You can’t leave the promoter in the wilderness. We have to be engaging all the time with them.
“I think the relationship should be good with the promoter and you will see big changes around March in the WRX (World Rallycross) and the WRC.”
