Christian Horner has advised people to wait for the facts after an investigation into FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem was announced.
The FIA president has been reported to the governing body’s ethics committee in regards to his alleged attempt to interfere with a race but Horner said not to jump to conclusions.
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It was reported this week that Ben Sulayem allegedly tried to overturn a penalty given to Fernando Alonso in Saudi Arabia last year and a further claim that he tried to prevent the Las Vegas GP circuit from being certified.
Asked for his opinion on the matter, the Red Bull boss, the subject of his own investigation recently, said to wait for the facts.
“I think the one thing that I’ve seen and learned certainly from any investigation is that don’t preempt the facts,” he said. “There needs to be an investigation and I’m sure the relevant parties, and again the process that they have within the statutes of the FIA will be followed, and all I would urge is don’t prejudge.
“Wait for the facts. Wait to see what is the reality before coming to a judgement.”
Horner was joined in the press conference by Bruno Famin, Mike Krack and James Vowlkes who also gave their verdicts.
The Alpine boss suggested that everyone in F1 should be “examples for all.”
“What we think is that we should really be able to focus on what happened on the track with our sport,” Famin said. “And this is our responsibility to all of us, I think, promoter, regulator, teams, to be examples for all.
“And there is an investigation at the FIA that I understand. They have their own process and they will follow the process. But it’s up to all of us, I think, to show the exemplarity [sic]to all. And we really need that.
Vowles said similarly that he would wait until the process was concluded before passing judgement.
“It was something I found out when I read it, probably the same as everyone in this room,” the Williams boss said.
“But what I’m pleased to see is there is a process in place to review it. And I think we should be judged not by the moment we’re in now, but in the future, once we look back at that. I think for the now, as far as I understand, it’s in review, which is the right thing.”
As for Krack, whose team stood to benefit from Ben Sulayem’s alleged move, he said it was closed in their minds.
“I think 12 months ago here, we were one of the involved parties,” he said. “I think it can be re-read in the Stewards’ documents how the whole process was.
“We executed the right of review, we brought new evidence and the penalty was taken out. So I think from that point of view, for us, the whole matter is clear and closed
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