FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem challenged: How Tim mayer hopes to win the election

On Thursday, a select group of media received an invitation from ‘FIA Forward’. It announced that a press event would follow on Friday morning, introducing a new candidate for the FIA presidential election. Soon it was revealed to be former FIA steward Tim Mayer.

The announcement did not take place at a facility at the Silverstone circuit. The site is owned by Formula One Management (FOM) during the British Grand Prix, and they did not allow a session at the circuit. The reason: the organization wants to remain neutral in the FIA's presidential elections.

Therefore, the venue was moved to Whittlebury Hall, a luxury hotel next to the Silverstone circuit. In the hotel, where some F1 teams and personnel stay, the Hockenheim Room was made available for Mayer's press conference.

In the small press room, the American started his prepared speech about the plan of ‘FIA Forward’. As the name suggests, Mayer aims to advance the FIA as an organization. It’s about integrity, transparency, and culture within the organization. Something he believes is missing under Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

And Mayer knows this from personal experience. The American was a steward within the FIA until the end of last year but was ousted by MBS due to conflicts of interest. As the son of McLaren founder Teddy Mayer, the steward was deemed unable to judge independently. That was the claim at the time.

Mayer claims that accusation was never substantiated by the FIA, but only mentioned by Jos Verstappen. According to Mayer, there was no problem with him wanting to become president of the FIA.

Mayer aims to take over from his former boss Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Mayer also directly attacked Mohammed Ben Sulayem. It wasn’t about ‘revenge feelings’, but Mayer repeatedly pointed out what went wrong under Sulayem and what he would do better as president.

Especially the ‘empty’ promises by Sulayem were the problem. Sulayem might have had the right intentions and brought the right people on board, but the execution was poor. Mayer also repeatedly mentioned the fact that many people had left the organization.

Yet, it wasn’t just an attack on Sulayem. According to Mayer, the Emirati had also done good things, especially for the smaller clubs within the FIA. And here, Mayer encounters the biggest problem. While in Europe, associations might be more inclined towards a change, winning support from club members in South America or Africa will be much more challenging.

Mayer himself believes this is possible, even if the time until the election in December is short. Mayer will visit all countries to garner their support. Mayer stressed that he wants to offer the same as Mohammed ben Sulayem, but on top of that, a ‘more professional’ organization.

A significant area for improvement for the FIA, according to Mayer, is the support for stewards. According to the former steward, this is far behind other major sports. There, referees receive training from extensive teams, which is not the case for FIA stewards. The stewards also do it as volunteers.

In the coming months, it will become clear whether Mayer is a serious candidate for the FIA presidency. The American has ambitious plans, but little time to win over the associations, those who ultimately vote for the president. Mohammed Ben Sulayem will not remain silent after his opponent’s statements. We are waiting for the inevitable response from the Emirati and the ensuing battle for the presidency.