09 March 2023 , 14:13
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The son of FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has died following a traffic accident in Dubai.
Saif Ben Sulayem, 29, competed in the 2016-17 UAE Formula 4 championship against the likes of Logan Sargeant and Oscar Piastri. Despite scoring 27 points and finishing 14th amid a string of top-10 finishes , he decided not to pursue a racing career internationally.
His father was appointed to his F1 role in December 2021, taking over from Jean Todt. His first campaign in charge saw him oversee a new era in the sport, amid stringent new regulations designed to make the sport more competitive.
And judging by his Instagram account, son Saif clearly shared his father's passion for cars racing cars. Saif would regularly post images of his father's huge collection of supercars, as well as other famous sports cars.
But a spokesperson for the world motorsport's governing body confirmed Saif had tragically passed away after being involved in a traffic accident.
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No further comment is expected from the FIA or Ben Sulayem at this moment in time - after the F1 chief requested privacy.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem's son shared his passion for cars and motorsport (Getty Images)Sulayem Snr's career with the FIA began when he was appointed Vice President of the organisation and a member of the World Motor Sport Council. He then became Chairman of the FIA's Motor Sport Development Task Force in 2013.
The 61-year-old is also a founding member of the Arab Council of Touring and Automobile Clubs, which seeks to unite the FIA Clubs of Arabic-speaking territories. The Federation has been running since 2009.