- Mayer was sacked by Ben Sulayem as chairman of the stewards last year
- Decision to stand “not about revenge”
Tim Mayer accused Mohammed Ben Sulayem of a “failure in leadership” and a “reign of terror” after the American announced he will stand against the International Automobile Federation (FIA) president in this year’s elections.
Ben Sulayem’s controversial first term as head of the world motorsport’s governing body will come to an end in December. The 63-year-old Emirati has confirmed he will stand for another four-year term.
Mayer, 59, was sacked by Ben Sulayem as chairman of the stewards last year but he insisted his decision to stand against Ben Sulayem is not one of revenge.
“Of course, that was disappointing for me because my commitment has always been to service,” said Mayer, the son of McLaren co-founder, Teddy Mayer. “I had the privilege of stewarding multiple championships but this is not about that.
“It gave me an opportunity to reflect where we are as a federation. I have always been committed to service and serving the people that work for me, and what I see is a failure in leadership right now. This is not about revenge but how we can drive the FIA forward.
“Three years ago, Mohammed Ben Sulayem ran on good ideas, values for smaller clubs, transparency and reform and the message was right, but the delivery has failed.
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“We have been left with illusion of progress and illusion of leadership while the most senior team he has appointed has departed. The illusion of inclusion, while capable voices, women and people from diverse backgrounds, were pushed out when they spoke out.
“We have had the illusion of transparency and engagement. And perhaps most corrosive, the illusion of integrity. We have witnessed wave after wave of statute amendments ushering in the greatest centralisation of power in the FIA’s history.
“Critical issues have been decided through rushed electronic votes with no debate, where world councils are gagged, and senate members have been pushed out. That is not governance.”
A number of high-profile figures have left the FIA under Ben Sulayem’s stewardship. His deputy, Robert Reid, the former rally driver, resigned from his post earlier this year. Ben Sulaymen has also had multiple run-ins with Formula One and the sport’s biggest stars, notably Lewis Hamilton over the wearing of jewellery in the cockpit.
Mayer continued: “That is the first time in the FIA that that has ever happened and that speaks volumes. He was not able to do the job in the position he was in.
“But he was only one of many, if you look at the number of people who have resigned from the FIA who have gone in with the best intentions but cannot affect change, or say, ‘No this is a bad idea, Mr President.’ It is a reign of terror. You are wondering when the next bomb will be dropped or the next scandal is.
“This is a Herculean task. The deck is stacked in favour of the incumbent and that is deliberately so. These statute changes have been made to centralise power. But I am starting out not to get on the ballot but to win it.”
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