FIA needs to build solid foundation for global motor sport, says presidential candidate Tim Mayer

SINGAPORE – The glitz and glamour and the sheer commercial might of Formula One may be commonly viewed as the pinnacle of motor sport, but International Automobile Federation (FIA) presidential hopeful Tim Mayer rejects the idea of a pyramid where member associations rely heavily on benefits from F1 flowing to the bottom.

If he manages to oust Emirati incumbent Mohammed Ben Sulayem in the Dec 12 election, the 59-year-old American said that he wants to build a “solid foundation” that can house and support global motor sport aspirations while promoting safe, sustainable and accessible mobility for road users.

“The only people that live in pyramids are dead pharaohs,” he told The Straits Times in an interview at the JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach on Oct 3, on the sidelines of the Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix.

“The FIA needs to provide a foundation, and then each of the member clubs need to be able to build their house on top of that solid foundation. If we can do that, we’re going to be successful.

“If we’re thinking always about this pyramid structure, that the FIA can trickle down the benefits of motor sport, we’ll never really nourish the bottom.

“Our job is to build that foundation, and then in that house, you decorate it however you want. For some countries, it’s going to be more rally-based, or more circuit-based, or more about karting. We need to focus on building that foundation so that you can do whatever you need to do with it.”

Mayer made the distinction between F1, an aspirational brand that is thriving, and “grassroots” motor sport which needs to be developed for the long term.

To make it more accessible in Africa and territories that are not so inclined to take up motor sport, he gave the example of how the cost of building cross cars can be reduced from €50,000 (S$76,000) to €5,000 by substituting materials that are available only in Europe with cheaper options from Asia.

He said: “If you build your business on something that’s so expensive that nobody can buy it, it’s not going to work. What we need to do as the FIA is to help drive down the cost, the complexity and change the culture.”

Mayer, whose father Teddy was co-founder of McLaren’s F1 team, has 35 years of experience in motor racing. He was an F1 steward for 15 years before he was dismissed by Ben Sulayem in November 2024.

He insisted he was contesting for presidency not out of revenge, but to “leave a legacy and give back”.

He did address Ben Sulayem’s seemingly divisive leadership that has seen U-turns over abrupt engine changes as well as the FIA

publicly clashing with drivers

over swearing, jewellery and fire-retardant underwear.

Mayer said: “FIA needs to be not about expressions of power, but about expressions of partnership.

“The president of the FIA does not need to be worried about drivers’ underwear. The president of the FIA should be concerned with how to create this halo brand of the FIA, so that investors and sponsors are taking the FIA seriously... to get money through charitable donations to service the clubs around the world that need help.”

Under his FIA Forward campaign manifesto, Mayer also pledged to “restore democracy within the FIA, empower diverse perspectives and rebuild a culture of open dialogue”, adding that “real accountability means clear decisions, honest reporting and leadership that earns trust by listening and delivering”.

Since beginning his campaign trail on July 4, he has been to more than 40 countries over six continents before flying to Singapore.

Still looking fresh despite the hectic globetrotting, Mayer said he gets his energy from feedback from member organisations and being able to listen to and address issues.

He added: “Coming to a dynamic place like Singapore is a genuine pleasure, but it is another thing to go to Burundi, one of the poorest countries in the world, to talk to them about issues of mobility, safety and how do we make people’s lives better.

“Is it great to have to wake up at two o’clock in the morning to get on an airplane to get there? No, it’s not. But to have this opportunity is a real privilege.”

At the election at the FIA General Assembly in Uzbekistan, he will face the challenge of Ben Sulayem, Italian-Swiss racing driver Laura Villars and Belgian motor sport journalist Virginie Philippot.

While he has reservations about the election process, he will continue to jet around in a bid to win the majority of votes from 245 member organisations across 149 countries.

He said: “It’s a commitment to service, good governance and doing better for the clubs.”