FIA president hails Sepang’s Bahrain GP rescue as model response to geopolitical disruption

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem emphasized the importance of risk management and assessment in preparing for unexpected disruptions, including geopolitical instability, within motorsport.

Reflecting on past challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic, he stressed the need for the FIA to not be dictated by external circumstances.

Highlighting the recent successful hosting of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia due to the West Asia conflict, he reiterated the FIA's commitment to maintaining the safety of participants and continuing events in the region.

Despite ongoing issues, Ben Sulayem remains optimistic about the stability and continuation of motorsport events in the Middle East.

SEPANG, Oct 4 — The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) must be prepared to respond to unexpected disruptions — including geopolitical instability — through risk management and assessment, said its president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

He said major disruptions are not new to the world motorsport governing body, citing the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic as well as wars and instability in some regions.

“I believe the FIA has to be ready for something like this. You cannot just expect the unexpected,” he told a media roundtable with selected Malaysian media here today.

The 65-year-old Emirati said the FIA has risk management and risk assessment mechanisms in place to deal with unexpected situations, which could also arise from natural causes.

Ben Sulayem was responding to a question on how the conflict in West Asia has changed the economics and operations of global motorsport, as well as concerns over its longer-term implications, including logistics, insurance costs and the viability of staging major championships in the region.

He said the governing body could not allow external circumstances to continually dictate the course of the sport.

“Are we ready for the unexpected? I hope so. There are things that happen naturally from time to time, but we cannot allow them to control us,” he said.

Ben Sulayem pointed to the staging of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia as an example of how the wider motorsport community could work together in response to disruption.

“What happened here, you see, is a message being sent by motorsport — by Bahrain, Malaysia, the FIA, Formula One Management (FOM), the drivers and the whole motorsport family coming together.

“Sport is about making progress, and it cannot be influenced by whoever is trying to destabilise our region. I am, if you ask me, very proud of what is happening here,” he added.

The 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix was supposed to take place on April 10-12. However, following the disruption arising from the West Asia conflict, it was held at the Sepang International Circuit on Oct 2-4.

Ben Sulayem said the security and safety of people remained paramount as questions persist over the future of motorsport events in the Middle East, including Formula One races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

He said the FIA is proceeding based on facts, noting that the World Motor Sport Council’s approval of the 2027 calendar had gone smoothly.

“Everybody voted for it. And everybody is happy for 2027, including all the rounds as where it is,” he said.

Asked to address rumours on whether Malaysia could be an alternative venue for Bahrain for the latter’s pre-season testing in 2027 should the West Asia conflict persist, Ben Sulayem said the FIA remained optimistic to keep the calendar as it is for next year.

“Let’s not consider rumours. Let’s go to facts. Do we need to start thinking of Plan B and Plan C, where I don’t see any issue?” he said, adding that issues in the region are being resolved, and that both the FIA and FOM are aligned in their approach.

Ben Sulayem said FIA-sanctioned events in the region, including the World Rally Championship and cross-country rallies, are also not being cancelled.

“People have the choice to come or not to come. But honestly, again, I would say, why would I stay at home or leave my children if it is dangerous? That’s my answer, really,” he said. — Bernama

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国际汽联主席穆罕默德·本·苏莱姆强调了风险管理和评估在应对赛车运动中可能出现的意外干扰（包括地缘政治不稳定）方面的重要性。

回顾过去面临的挑战，例如新冠肺炎疫情，他强调国际汽联不应受外部环境的左右。

他强调，由于西亚冲突，巴林大奖赛最近在马来西亚成功举办，并重申了国际汽联致力于维护参赛人员安全并继续在该地区举办赛事的承诺。

尽管问题不断，但本·苏莱姆仍然对中东赛车运动的稳定和持续发展持乐观态度。

雪邦，10 月 4 日——国际汽车联合会（FIA）主席穆罕默德·本·苏莱姆表示，FIA 必须做好准备，通过风险管理和评估来应对意外的干扰，包括地缘政治不稳定。

他表示，重大干扰对于世界赛车运动管理机构来说并不陌生，并列举了新冠肺炎疫情带来的挑战，以及一些地区的战争和动荡局势。

“我认为国际汽联必须为此类事件做好准备。你不能指望意外发生，”他今天在与部分马来西亚媒体举行的圆桌会议上表示。

这位 65 岁的阿联酋人表示，国际汽联已制定风险管理和风险评估机制，以应对可能由自然原因引起的意外情况。

本·苏莱姆是在回答有关西亚冲突如何改变全球赛车运动的经济和运营，以及对其长期影响的担忧（包括物流、保险成本和在该地区举办重大锦标赛的可行性）的问题时做出上述表态的。

他表示，管理机构不能允许外部环境不断左右这项运动的发展方向。

“我们是否已做好应对意外情况的准备？我希望如此。有些事情会不时自然发生，但我们不能让它们控制我们，”他说。

本·苏莱姆指出，在马来西亚举办巴林大奖赛就是一个例子，说明更广泛的赛车运动界如何能够共同应对突发事件。

“你看，这里发生的事情，是赛车运动——巴林、马来西亚、国际汽联、一级方程式管理公司（FOM）、车手以及整个赛车运动大家庭——共同传递的信息。

“体育的意义在于促进进步，它不能受到任何试图破坏我们地区稳定的势力的影响。如果你问我，我会为这里正在发生的一切感到非常自豪，”他补充道。

2026 年巴林大奖赛原定于 4 月 10 日至 12 日举行。然而，由于西亚冲突造成的干扰，比赛改在 10 月 2 日至 4 日在雪邦国际赛道举行。

本·苏莱姆表示，由于中东地区赛车运动的未来，包括卡塔尔和阿布扎比的一级方程式赛车比赛，仍然存在诸多疑问，因此，人员安全仍然是重中之重。

他表示，国际汽联正在根据事实行事，并指出世界汽车运动理事会对 2027 年赛历的批准过程非常顺利。

“大家都投了赞成票。大家都对2027年的安排感到满意，包括所有轮次的安排，”​​他说。

当被问及如果西亚冲突持续下去，马来西亚是否会成为巴林在 2027 年进行季前测试的替代地点时，本·苏莱姆表示，国际汽联仍然乐观地认为明年的赛程安排将保持不变。

“我们不要理会谣言，要看事实。难道我们需要考虑B计划和C计划吗？在我看来，这些计划没有任何问题。”他说道，并补充说，该地区的问题正在得到解决，国际汽联和F1管理公司在处理问题上立场一致。

本·苏莱姆表示，国际汽联在该地区认可的赛事，包括世界拉力锦标赛和越野拉力赛，也不会取消。

“人们可以选择来或不来。但说实话，我还是要问，如果很危险，我为什么要待在家里，为什么要离开我的孩子？这就是我的答案，”他说道。——马新社

亚运会的混乱局面使日本未来的奥运雄心受到新的审视，专家警告称信任已受损。

安东内利承认第二名已经是“极限”，维斯塔潘在马来西亚巴林大奖赛上证明自己速度太快，梅赛德斯车队难以招架。

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