Earlier this month, Robert Reid, the Vice President of the FIA, resigned following a ‘breach in governance standards’. A statement revealed that the Englishman disagreed with the controversial leadership style of President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who has been increasingly consolidating power over the past few months. The Emirati has now proposed a potential replacement for Reid; Malcolm Wilson, a big name in rally racing, is his preferred candidate.
Malcolm Wilson, former winner of the British Rally Championship and founder of M-Sport, has been nominated by Ben Sulayem as Vice President for Sport. The members of the FIA will vote on this during a meeting in Macau in June. Reid resigned due to serious concerns about the governance culture within the FIA. “Over time, I have seen the principles we had promised to uphold being ignored,” he stated.
His intended successor, the 69-year-old Wilson, is a well-established name in the rally world – both as a driver and as a businessman. His long collaboration with Ford earned him the British Rally Championship in 1994. Moreover, his M-Sport won the manufacturers’ championship in the WRC in 2006 and 2007. In 2009, Wilson received a royal award for his services to motorsport.
‘Of Invaluable Value’
“I am delighted to nominate Malcolm Wilson for the position of FIA Vice President for Sport,” said Ben Sulayem in an official press release. “He has had an impressive career in global motorsport. He has raced at the highest level for over forty years, both as a driver and as a technical partner of teams. This experience will be of invaluable value to the FIA and our affiliated partners.”
“The FIA has played a central role in my career,” added Wilson. “I am greatly looking forward to supporting Ben Sulayem and the entire FIA family in their important mission. There has never been a more exciting time to be active in motorsport, and I know from personal experience the benefits the sport offers to families and communities around the world. I look forward to working with the president during his current term of office, bringing motorsport to a new audience and ensuring that we deliver the very best championships for all our participants.”
