'I'm trying to think of anything he's done wrong' - Bernie Ecclestone on Mohammed Ben Sulayem's reign

Ex-Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone has backed FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and supports his push for a return to a normally aspirated engine. 

Over his years in charge of F1 Ecclestone worked closely with Ben Sulayem’s predecessors Jean-Marie Balestre, Max Mosley and Jean Todt, and he made it clear that he impressed by the job that the current incumbent is doing.

Ecclestone’s wife Fabiana is one of Ben Sulayem’s key lieutenants, serving as vice-president of sport for South America, which has given him a good insight.

“Well, I'm trying to think of anything he's done wrong,” he said to media including Crash.net during an appearance at the Austrian Grand Prix on Saturday. “Not an easy task to do what he's moved into, and I think he's trying to get everything working fairly, and a little bit up to date. 

“Unfortunately, like all these things, you can't be a million per cent right all the time, but I can't see anything that he's done at the moment that he shouldn't have done. It's one or two things which I hope he is going to do in the future.”

Asked to elaborate he said: “Three-litre engine. I don't care if it's a V8 or 10 or a 12. I think probably all you would be happy with that. I think it's the right thing to do.”

However he acknowledged that it might not be easy to get the manufacturers to accept change: “The only change they like to make when they've had enough, they leave without asking."

Ecclestone also praised Ben Suluyem for leading a turnaround in the organisation’s finances. Having made a loss of €24m in 2021 has recently declared a profit of €6.7m for the 2025 financial year.

“He's had a difficult job to do,” he said. “Because he's inherited things which he didn't start, so he wasn't at liberty. He was voted in to do something which he had no idea exactly what he had to do He's been finding out all the things to do and not to do, and I think he's done a super job. 

“Financially, he's getting the FIA in a position it should have been before. The FIA, there's no reason why if they make money, it’s criminal. 

“They have an organisation to keep, and they need finance to keep it, and they need finance to do all the other things he's doing to help all the clubs, generally help. He doesn't take any money, he's not in there for himself financially, so he's there to do the best he can for the sport he's looking after.”

Regarding key features of modern F1 Ecclestone expressed doubts about both the 24-race schedule and the sprint format.

“I think both things are wrong,” he said. “Twenty-four races is wrong for everyone, including the public. People miss a race and say, are we going to see one in a couple of weeks or something? And the sprint race, I have no idea what that's all about."

Asked if he missed his former role he said: “I'm just thinking about it. I miss part of it. I miss putting things together on the financial side, all that. Did I ever stop to the end of a race? No. So whether that's good or bad, I don't know. I've done my job.”