New FIA president confident Hamilton won’t walk away from F1
Newly-elected FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem feels confident Lewis Hamilton will not walk away from Formula 1 after his controversial title defeat in Abu Dhabi last month.

Hamilton missed out on a record-breaking eighth world championship after being passed by Max Verstappen on the final lap of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix following a late restart by race control that did not appear to follow the regulations.
Mercedes initially protested the restart procedure and considered a further appeal, but ultimately put an end to pursuing any action after the FIA announced it would launch a full investigation into what happened in Abu Dhabi.
Hamilton has not spoken publicly since a brief interview in parc ferme following the race Abu Dhabi, and has not put any posts on social media since the day before the title decider.
Mercedes F1 chief Toto Wolff said that both he and Hamilton were “disillusioned” by the events in Abu Dhabi, and that he “would very much hope that Lewis continues racing”.
Ben Sulayem was elected as the new FIA president last month, and has already eyed making changes to F1’s rulebook to prevent a repeat of what happened in Abu Dhabi.
Asked during a press briefing ahead of the Dakar Rally if he was afraid that Hamilton may not race next year, Ben Sulayem said: “No, I don’t think he will [quit].
“I’ll ask your question: did Lewis declare that he’s not going to race? No. Exactly. Being a driver, you declare yourself, you don’t let the rumours [talk].
“I’m confident that Lewis [will return]. Lewis is a big part of motorsport, and of course of Formula 1, the new era [can add to] Lewis’s wins and achievements, and also Verstappen is there.
“I am very confident that you will see a very challenging Formula 1 season next year.”

Mohammed ben Sulayem, President EMSO
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Ben Sulayem stressed the need for the FIA to be “proactive rather than reactive” in resolving the sporting regulations to ensure there was no repeat of what happened in Abu Dhabi.
“I am going to study the case of what happened in Abu Dhabi, and a decision will be taken how to go forward without any pressure from anyone,” Ben Sulayem said.
“The integrity of the FIA, it is my job and duty to protect it, but it doesn’t mean that we do not look into our regulations, and if there is any improvement [to make], we will.
“I said in my first press conference, this is not the book of God. This is written by humans. It can be improved and changed by humans. So that’s it.”
Ben Sulayem said in that first press conference there could be “no forgiveness” for Hamilton if he was found to have breached the FIA’s rules by skipping the end-of-season prize giving in Paris last month.
Ben Sulayem revealed that he had reached out to Hamilton, but was yet to hear back from him.
“I sent him messages,” Ben Sulayem said. “I think he’s not ready now to be functioning 100%.
“You don’t blame him. I understand his position, being a driver - of course he’s on a different level.
“But also the rule is there. For me it’s not particular, a driver or a certain team. It is in general, there are rules that we have to respect, and the integrity of the FIA, we have to respect. And I cannot judge anyone unless I get the correct facts.
“I feel that, of course, not being present at the gala dinner, it’s something that the team and Lewis knew about it. But at the end of the day, you are human also. The stress and the pressure has been there.
“I am confident that everything will be sorted out. We cannot think of our past. We have a lot to think about. We are the people of the future.”
Related video

Mazepin feels ready for fight in F1 midfield in 2022
Ferrari: "Naive" to think it will be easy to catch Red Bull and Mercedes

Latest news
“Proper send-off” for MacNeil after Rolex 24 win in GTD Pro
Jules Gounon says that winning at Daytona was an appropriate way for co-driver Cooper MacNeil to retire from racing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
HPD boss "amazed" by GTP reliability in Rolex 24 at Daytona
The boss of Honda Performance Developments has expressed his amazement at the high levels of reliability demonstrated by the all-new GTP prototypes in last weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona.
How MSR took Acura to the first win of sportscar racing's new era
After much anticipation, the new dawn for sportscar racing got underway with a result that mirrored the pattern of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship's previous DPi era. Here's how Acura once again took top honours in the Rolex 24 at Daytona with a 1-2 led by Meyer Shank Racing.
Why WTR Acura lacked pace to beat MSR in Rolex 24 showdown
Wayne Taylor Racing's Filipe Albuquerque admits that he knew it would be a tall order to beat the sister Acura of Meyer Shank Racing in the closing stages of last weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona.
Who were the fastest drivers in F1 2022?
Who was the fastest driver in 2022? Everyone has an opinion, but what does the stopwatch say? Obviously, differing car performance has an effect on ultimate laptime – but it’s the relative speed of each car/driver package that’s fascinating and enlightening says ALEX KALINAUCKAS
Nico Hulkenberg: Why F1's nearly man is refreshed and ready for his return
He has more starts without a podium than anyone else in Formula 1 world championship history, but Nico Hulkenberg is back for one more shot with Haas. After spending three years on the sidelines, the revitalised German is aiming to prove to his new team what the F1 grid has been missing.
Why Vasseur relishes 'feeling the pressure' as Ferrari's F1 boss
OPINION: Fred Vasseur has spent only a few weeks as team principal for the Ferrari Formula 1 team, but is already intent on taking the Scuderia back to the very top. And despite it being arguably the most demanding job in motorsport, the Frenchman is relishing the challenge
The crucial tech changes F1 teams must adapt to in 2023
Changes to the regulations for season two of Formula 1's ground-effects era aim to smooth out last year’s troubles and shut down loopholes. But what areas have been targeted, and what impact will this have?
Are these the 50 quickest drivers in F1 history?
Who are the quickest drivers in Formula 1 history? Luke Smith asked a jury of experienced and international panel of experts and F1 insiders. Some of them have worked closely with F1’s fastest-ever drivers – so who better to vote on our all-time top 50? We’re talking all-out speed here rather than size of trophy cabinet, so the results may surprise you…
One easy way the FIA could instantly improve F1
OPINION: During what is traditionally a very quiet time of year in the Formula 1 news cycle, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been generating headlines. He’s been commenting on massive topics in a championship that loves them, but also addressing necessary smaller changes too. Here we suggest a further refinement that would be a big boon to fans
How can McLaren keep hold of Norris?
Lando Norris is no longer the young cheeky-chappy at McLaren; he’s now the established ace. And F1's big guns will come calling if the team can’t give him a competitive car. Here's what the team needs to do to retain its prize asset
What difference did F1's fastest pitstops of 2022 make?
While a quick pitstop can make all the difference to the outcome of a Formula 1 race, most team managers say consistency is more important than pure speed. MATT KEW analyses the fastest pitstops from last season to see which ones – if any – made a genuine impact
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.