Tim Mayer has withdrawn from the FIA elections. The American had earlier this year put himself forward for the presidency, strongly criticizing the alleged ‘reign of terror’ of the incumbent president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem. However, due to an obscure requirement in the FIA statutes, the Emirati was effectively the only one eligible for the presidency. With Mayer’s withdrawal, it seems he could be re-elected without serious opposition.
As Tim Mayer was unable to garner sufficient support to officially submit his candidacy, he is now withdrawing from the race. Of the three opponents that Ben Sulayem initially had, the American – with his FIA Forward campaign – was considered the most formidable. In July, he launched his election program, in which he sharply criticized the policy of the current president.
Earlier reports already indicated that it was virtually impossible for Mayer to get on the election list. After the GP of Singapore, the World Motor Sport Council presented the official candidate list for the presidential elections. It was noticeable that vice-presidents had to come from different continents.
‘We Want to Speak, But We Can’t’
During a press conference in Austin on Friday, Tim Mayer confirmed his withdrawal, emphasizing that there will be ‘no elections’. “The election for the chairmanship of the FIA is over,” he said, “but our campaign is not, nor is our mission to protect the integrity and reputation of the FIA. There will be no elections, no debate between ideas, no comparison of visions, no assessment of leadership.”
“There will only be one candidate – the incumbent – and that’s not democracy,” he continued sternly. “That’s the illusion of democracy. During our FIA Forward campaign, we talked about fair reforms and integrity in returning the FIA to its members.” In a press release, Mayer revealed that many FIA members fear the current regime. “During our travels around the world, many affiliated clubs told me: ‘We want to speak, but we can’t.’ They fear losing projects, funding, or recognition if they question the current system. That’s precisely why FIA Forward must continue to exist – not for power, but for principles.” The FIA elections are scheduled for December 12 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
