Mayer Launches FIA Presidency Bid

Tim Mayer has officially launched his campaign to become FIA president, taking direct aim at Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s leadership. Backed by a reform-driven platform, Mayer’s challenge marks the beginning of a high-stakes political showdown ahead of the December 2025 election.

The long-serving American official—whose FIA resume includes over two decades of work across Formula 1, endurance racing, and national sporting bodies—timed his campaign announcement for July 4, a deliberate nod to independence, transparency, and institutional renewal.

“The FIA deserves leadership that’s collaborative, not autocratic,” Mayer said, firing the first major volley in what will be an 18-month campaign ahead of the December 2025 election. “The president should be the first among equals, not the only voice in the room.”

The remarks leave no doubt about Mayer’s target: current president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who took office in late 2021 but has since become a lightning rod for controversy.

From Mayer’s perspective, Mohammed Ben Sulayem has “not kept his promises” of reform and instead “centralised power at the top” while alienating key stakeholders. He’s accused the current leadership of eroding trust and pushing away capable figures within the FIA structure. “So many experienced people have either been forced out or chosen to leave. That should worry everyone who cares about motorsport,” Mayer told PlanetF1.

It’s not just rhetoric. Mayer’s campaign website and launch materials outline a platform that promises to restore confidence in FIA governance by focusing on three pillars: integrity, inclusion, and independence. That includes support for whistleblowers, a revitalised ethics commission, and greater transparency in financial and sporting decisions—especially in how Formula 1 and other world championships are overseen.

Mayer’s public break with the current administration dates back to his surprise sacking as a Formula 1 steward in 2024—a move he later described as politically motivated and emblematic of “systemic dysfunction.”

“They’re not doing themselves any favours,” he told MSN Sports at the time. “They’re literally running out of people to do those jobs.”

His candidacy has quickly gained traction, in part due to the recent withdrawal of Carlos Sainz Sr. from the leadership race. The Spanish rally legend had been floated as a potential consensus challenger to Ben Sulayem, but his decision not to run cleared a path for Mayer to consolidate the growing wave of internal dissent.

Ben Sulayem, meanwhile, remains under increasing pressure. While he entered office on a platform of transparency and growth, his term has been marred by scandals ranging from alleged interference in race control decisions to high-profile personnel departures, unresolved concerns about gender equity, and a toxic relationship with Formula 1’s commercial rights holder, Liberty Media.

He’s also overseen a series of reforms that critics argue have concentrated too much authority in the president’s office. In interviews this week, Mayer singled out what he called a “lack of consultation” with ASNs (national sporting authorities) and a governance model that shuts out dissenting voices.

“The FIA is not a fiefdom,” Mayer said bluntly. “It’s a members’ organisation. It belongs to all of us.”

That messaging may resonate well outside F1 circles. While the focus has naturally shifted to Formula 1 due to its global footprint and financial clout, Mayer is also garnering support from those in Formula E, World Rally, karting, and mobility services—areas that have faced similar governance challenges under the current administration.

The road to the presidency is a long and complex political journey. The FIA’s unique voting structure gives power not just to racing interests, but also to the organisation’s mobility branch, with ASNs from every continent holding sway. Mayer will need to campaign country by country, vote by vote, as he seeks to build a coalition for change.

Still, his timing is deliberate. With key championships undergoing commercial transformation, and with F1’s future calendar, power units, and cost caps under constant negotiation, Mayer’s campaign ensures that FIA leadership remains at the forefront.

Ben Sulayem has yet to formally respond to Mayer’s challenge, but few inside the paddock expect him to step aside quietly. One paddock insider put it simply: “The fight is on.”

And unlike the quiet backroom battles of the past, this one’s happening out in the open, with global motorsport watching.