Hi friends,
It’s a Saturday edition this week. I’ll see if I can’t get back to the regularly scheduled Thursday editions after the summer break.
Top Story of the Week: FIA Presidential Candidate Tim Mayer’s Election Platform Launched
With the FIA presidential elections approaching, American motorsport veteran Tim Mayer has unveiled his election platform: FIA Forward. A reform manifesto that promises to reshape the governance of the FIA. While the blueprint is dense with democratic ideals and institutional overhaul, Mayer faces an uphill battle against incumbent Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who enjoys considerable political support. The question is, how much of the ambitious agenda could ever materialise?
Who Is Tim Mayer?
Mayer’s credentials are extensive. Beginning in the early 1990s as a producer of IndyCar and Formula 1 broadcasts, he went on to found and organise the Rio400 IndyCar Grand Prix. He later held senior roles in the Champ Car World Series and served as COO of IMSA and the American Le Mans Series, playing a foundational role in organising some of North America’s most prestigious racing championships. As President of US Race Management, he oversaw 19 Formula 1 Grands Prix and multiple WEC and Formula E events across the United States.
And his connection to the FIA runs deep. He’s served as a race steward, a track inspector, and member of key commissions including the Endurance Commission and the International Sporting Code Expert Working Group. Perhaps most notably, Mayer spent eight years as Permanent Chair of the FIA Formula 1 Stewards.
Inside the FIA Forward Manifesto
Mayer’s manifesto paints a portrait of an FIA that has strayed from its purpose and become too centralised. opaque and controlled by executive power. His vision is rooted in transforming the FIA “from a control culture to a service culture”, one where Member Clubs drive the agenda, rather than reacting to it. At its core, FIA Forward is a call to rebalance power across the organisation by reinforcing democratic norms and restoring institutional integrity.
The manifesto begins with an immediate promise to dismantle what Mayer describes as “presidential excess.” If elected, he pledges on day one to reverse the current President’s ability to remove elected Senate members as will – a power he argues undermines the Senate’s role as an independent body. He also proposed rescinding non-disclosure agreements that have limited elected representatives from communicating freely with the clubs they represent and with the public, aiming instead to build an open and accountable dialogue between governance bodies and the broader FIA community.
Mayer outlines a plan to transition the presidency to a non-executive role, with a professional CEO managing day-to-day operations, while the President provides strategic vision and represents the FIA globally. This model, he suggest, would create a healthier balance between leadership and administration, preventing the overreach that has come to define current criticisms of the federation’s structure.
Over the first 100 days, Mayer promises to introduction of a “Club Compact”. A framework to define mutual expectations between the Member Clubs and the FIA. Alongside this, he proposes a new grant support department, a “truth and reconciliation mechanism” for reporting internal misconduct, and an independent financial oversight committee to replace the current opaque financial practices with more transparent ones.
The longer-term reforms extend into areas like statutory clarity, voting fairness, and regional representation. Mayer wants all changes to FIA statues to be published well in advance of votes, with transparent criteria for candidate eligibility to prevent political manipulation. He also support direct elections of World Motor Sport Council members from each region, strengthening the voice of underrepresented areas in both sport and mobility governance. Notably, the manifesto also includes commitments to broaden the inclusion mandate of the Women in Motorsport Commission, further rooting FIA Forward in values of equality and representation.
Two Visions for the FIA’s Future
Tim Mayer’s FIA Forward offers a compelling blueprint for reorienting the FIA toward transparency, fairness and member-driven governance. His platform is clearly shaped by firsthand experience with the organisation’s internal dynamics, both it’s strengths and it’s shortcomings. The proposal reflect a desire not just for reform, but for deep, systemic change across how the FIA functions and how power is distributed within it.
On the other side stands Mohammed Ben Sulayem, whose presidency has been marked by consolidation of influence, bolstered by recent changes to statutes that have strengthened executive control. His administration has emphasised loyalty and stability, winning the backing of many Member Club representatives, who have benefitted from the current system, or perhaps fear of the repercussions of political realignment.
While Mayer’s campaign champions institutional independence, many of the mechanisms for change would require significant buy-in from within. A tall order in an environment where the status quo favours those already in power. The challenge lies not in the feasibility of Mayer’s ideas, but in the political will of the FIA electorate to embrace a different kind of leadership.
As the election draws near, the choice facing Member Clubs is a fundamental one: To double down on a centralised model that promises continuity and control, or to take a calculated risk on a candidate who promises to return the FIA to its core purpose: A democratic, member-focussed body serving the global motorsport and mobility community. Mayer’s chances may be uncertain, but his platform has undeniably reintroduced a vital debate into the heart of the FIA: Who does the organisation ultimately serve, and how should it be led?
The Rest of the Stories This Week:
- According to ESPN, Max Verstappen can trigger an exit clause if he’s 4th or lower after the Hungarian GP
- The FIA is working on clamping down on A/B teams
- There were protests against the Madrid GP over environmental impact
- Oscar Piastri set a new absolute track record during Sprint Qualifying at Spa
- Zandvoort is in talks to host Formula E after Formula 1 contract ends
- The FIA and Formula E have signed a 10 year extension for the championship
- We got our first look at the Gen4 Formula E car
- Formula 1 reduced it’s carbon footprint by 26% by the end of 2024 compared to 2018
That’s it for this week, thank you for being here.
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