Three prominent Formula 1 figures have voiced their frustration with the FIA's current leadership, describing it as a "mess" under president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
The criticism comes after the FIA introduced even stricter penalties for 2025, targeting off-track driver behaviour such as swearing. The new measures include hefty six-figure fines, month-long race bans, and even the deduction of championship points.
An FIA spokesperson defended the changes, telling Bild newspaper, "The changes are about improving the transparency and consistency of decision-making. All major sports federations such as the NFL, FIFA, and the IOC have similar rules and fines to protect the integrity of the sport."
However, the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) has been critical of the FIA's approach, also hitting out at the failure to disclose where the fines are allocated.
Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA's single-seater boss, addressed the concerns, saying, "As a non-profit organisation, the FIA spends money on safety and grassroots programs, not Christmas parties or anything like that."
Despite the explanation, frustration continues to build within the paddock.
Haas team boss Ayao Komatsu didn't hold back, though he was cautious about how his words would be perceived.
"Please don't write as a headline that 'Ayao says the FIA is a mess'," he said with a smile, "but that's what everyone thinks.
"That's what everyone experiences," the Japanese added. "I don't know what else to say. It's not good, is it? But I don't want to get involved in that political battle."
The criticism of the FIA's leadership extends beyond Formula 1. Formula E and WEC driver Robin Frijns expressed his anger over the federation's scheduling conflict, which will force him to miss one of two major events this year.
"In July, they planned the Formula E race in Berlin and the 6 Hours of Sao Paolo on the same weekend," Frijns told De Telegraaf.
"It's very unfortunate, and I am quite angry about that. In the past, it was never really a problem to plan the races properly, but since Jean Todt left as president, it is sometimes a mess there."
Nyck de Vries, a former F1 driver who is also competing in Formula E and WEC, shared Frijns' frustration.
"You can't tell me that there was no way to avoid a clash," De Vries said. "I'm really annoyed about it actually. It all seems completely unnecessary to me."
