Motorsport UK chairman David Richards has spoken out after being barred from the World Motor Sport Council meeting last week for refusing to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Richards has slammed current FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem in a letter to Motorsport UK members, claiming the FIA has “progressively worsened” under his leadership in part due to “the erosion of accountability and good governance within the FIA”. Motorsport UK initially supported Ben Sulayem’s campaign to become FIA president as he promised to be a “hands-off President” who would “delegate the day-to-day running of the FlA to a professional executive team”, appoint an “empowered and capable CEO”, and offer “full transparency of actions” within the FIA. Richards insists there has been a “distinct failure” to uphold these promises, citing the firing and resignations of many senior FIA members in recent years, as well as restrictions to the scope of the Audit and Ethics Committees. The requirement to sign a new confidentiality agreement, which he calls a “gagging order”, with only a week’s notice was Richards’ “final straw”. When appointed to the World Motor Sport Council in 2021, Richards already had to sign an NDA, but he fears this new agreement is much more restrictive, saying it means the FIA “at its own discretion, could decide if anyone breached the terms of the new confidentiality agreement with no process or frame of reference” and issue “an immediate fine of €50,000 for any breach and a threat of undisclosed damages”. Richards has threatened to launch a legal challenge against the FIA if necessary.
Bernie Ecclestone’s car collection has been sold, and the new owner plans to display them publicly in the future. As reported in December last year, Ecclestone was selling 69 cars from his private collection via private treaty sale. The collection, estimated to be worth around £500m in total, featured historic gems like the legendary Ferrari F2002 and the unique Brabham BT46 “fan car”. The collection was sold to billionaire businessman Mark Mateschitz, the son of late Red Bull co-founder Dietrich. Mateschitz assured fans that the collection “will be made accessible to the public at an appropriate location” in the “near future”.
Cadillac has officially been approved to become the 11th team on the F1 grid from 2026 onward. General Motors had already obtained an in-principal deal with the sport in November with a bid led by TWG Group. It was not a smooth path to F1 for GM, with a previous bid led by Andretti Global having been denied by Formula One Management last year. The team has already reached an agreement with Ferrari to become a customer team until they have produced their own power units in 2028.
Drivers at this year’s Race of Champions event in Sydney honoured Michael Schumacher in a touching tribute. The seven-time World Champion is a legend in Formula One and has been an influence on many racing drivers around the world. A skiing accident in 2013 left him with severe brain injuries, leading him and his family to withdraw from the public eye. All participating drivers (including son Mick Schumacher and fellow German Sebastian Vettel) held a banner that said “Keep Fighting Michael – We Miss You” in support of Schumacher and the Keep Fighting Foundation. The foundation was created in 2017 to support charitable work in education, public health, science, and culture.
Formula One action will resume next weekend with the season opener in Australia. After seemingly endless F1-less weekends, the 2025 season is set to get underway in Melbourne on March 16. You can see the full F1 race schedule on our website.
It can be challenging for even the most avid fans to keep up with the fast-paced world of Formula One. The Weekly F1 Recap is a series published each Monday that breaks down the action, both on and off the circuit, into bit-sized pieces. It's perfect for casual and experienced fans alike.
