Former FIA steward Tim Mayer announced on Friday that he will challenge current FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem for the presidency, according to a report by the BBC on Thursday. A press conference had already been scheduled for Friday morning ahead of the British Grand Prix, but it was not yet revealed that the former steward would be the focus.
American Tim Mayer has long been mentioned as a candidate for the FIA presidential elections later this year. The son of Teddy Mayer, one of the founders of the McLaren team, was fired last year by current president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
The FIA officially dismissed Mayer at the time due to a conflict of interest. The American was not only a steward but also involved in the organization behind the United States Grand Prix. According to the former steward himself, however, Ben Sulayem would have taken ‘offense’ to the content of an appeal written by him, following a fine that the Grand Prix organization had received after fans had unlawfully entered the track. Since then, Mayer has been at odds with the Emirati.
Carlos Sainz Senior
Mayer is not the first to reportedly consider a bid for the FIA presidency. Carlos Sainz Sr. had also previously announced his intention to run. However, the Spaniard later changed his mind and decided to withdraw at the end of June. “I have come to the conclusion that the current circumstances are not ideal for me to run,” Sainz said in a statement on social media at the time. “I also realize that my candidacy would interfere with my preparations for the Dakar Rally – I want to stay involved with Ford and not weaken my team.”
