Hamilton quit threat, Abu Dhabi controversy and the pressing issues Ben Sulayem faces

As a series of showdown meetings between Formula 1 teams, drivers and its governing body take place, The National examines the fallout from the dramatic end to last season at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The new president of the FIA, the organisation that runs motorsport worldwide, including F1. Based primarily in Abu Dhabi, Ben Sulayem is the first FIA President from the Middle East but has been working in the organisation for decades. Coincidentally, he was elected just days after the title was clinched at Yas Marina Circuit in December. As a 14-time Middle East rally champion, he’s a vastly experienced racer. Strangely, for one of the world’s richest sports, the presidential post is unpaid.

It’s early days. but Ben Sulayem has started fast, telling Mercedes and Sir Lewis Hamilton there will be “no forgiveness” if they broke rules by failing to turn up to the end of season prize-giving ceremony in protest at the events in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Hamilton lost the title to rival Max Verstappen in a last lap ‘shoot out’ in controversial fashion.

Of course. But Hamilton had been leading before a rival crashed and race director Michael Masi used the safety car period to get the two title rivals together at the front of the field for a thrilling one-lap showdown.

Teams, including Mercedes, have insisted in the past they did not want races to finish behind the safety car, much less an entire championship decided that way, but the fact that Verstappen had already stopped for fresh tyres for the re-start meant he had a considerable advantage.

Mercedes accused Masi of “freestyling” with the rules which demand all cars have to be moved back to their correct positions before a re-start, and Masi didn’t do that for