No longer a matter of democracy - fierce criticism of Ben Sulayem

18:33, 21 Jul

Updated: 18:57, 21 Jul

byKimberley Hoefnagel

Tim Mayer recently put himself forward for the FIA presidency. He had previously indicated that something needed to change and has now provided more information about his issues with Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

When Carlos Sainz Senior announced that he would not be participating in the elections for the FIA presidency, it seemed that Mohammed Ben Sulayem would have an easy victory. However, it did not take long for Mayer, who was fired as a steward last year, to nominate himself.

But why has he decided to challenge the man from the United Arab Emirates?

"The focus [of Ben Sulayem] was not, in my opinion, on the execution. The focus was on an unprecedented consolidation of power," Mayer said critically about the current FIA president on the Parc Fermé podcast.

Changes within the FIA

The candidate for the FIA presidency is not happy about the fact that the rules have been subject to constant changes under the leadership of Ben Sulayem.

"The statutes of the FIA have been changed and changed and changed again."

He continued: "Each time it was a small and incremental change, in the direction of where we are now. Namely, at the point where we are no longer talking about a democracy, even though that was what he campaigned for."

Issues with the FIA's corporate culture

According to Mayer, you can’t even say there is real representation anymore.

"Considering the people who have been elected as representatives can’t even talk with the members they are supposed to represent. There is a massive erosion of the governance norms within the FIA."

The American also expressed criticism of the way Ben Sulayem deals with the drivers. He believes this is not how an organization like the FIA should treat its drivers — the same goes for the executive's relationship with promoters and teams.

"We shouldn’t treat these stakeholders — these people who have invested so much of their time, and in some cases their lives, in their careers — like naughty kids. That is simply not the way to do it. That’s why I have come to the conclusion that this needs to change," he concluded firmly.