Full Text of Tim Mayer Speech, Austin, TX, October 17, 2025

Today I will say something that may sound contradictory: The election for President of the FIA is over — but our campaign is not. And neither is our mission to protect the integrity and reputation of the FIA.

How can an election be over when the ballot is still more than two months away?

This time, there will be no choice. There will be no debate between ideas. No comparison of visions. No examination of leadership.

There will be only one candidate, the incumbent. That’s not democracy — that’s the illusion of democracy.

Throughout our FIA Forward campaign, we’ve spoken of fairness, reform, and integrity — of returning the FIA to its Members. But today, the outcome of this election, and the flawed process governing it, prove how far we’ve drifted from that ideal.

Under the FIA Statutes, no Presidential List can exist unless it includes one Vice President for Sport from every global region — and those Vice Presidents must be drawn from the list of those who nominated themselves for the World Motor Sport Council and have an international event on the FIA Calendar.

That sounds inclusive — until you realize what happens when there are no independent candidates to choose from. No credible, alternative options.

In South America, only one person stood for the WMSC. In Africa, only two. All three are directly associated with the incumbent. The result is simple: no one but the incumbent can run under this FIA system.

In the last election cycle, more than forty candidates came forward for the World Motor Sport Council. This time, only twenty-nine.
So what changed? Did Member Clubs suddenly lose interest in shaping the sport? Or were they persuaded — pressured — or promised something not to stand? I cannot say for sure.

But when only three out of twelve eligible clubs across South America and Africa put themselves forward — independent of whether they supported me or not — it’s clear this is no longer a democratic process. When choice is replaced by control, democracy is diminished.

Take South America — a continent passionate about motorsport. Only one candidate emerged.

Fabiana Ecclestone has deep ties to Brazilian motorsport, and I respect her credentials. But as I traveled across the region, the same message resonated: “Motorsport in Brazil is not typical of motorsport across South America.” Yet no other club chose to nominate someone, which would not have been a challenge to Mrs. Ecclestone, but an opportunity to broaden representation of their region and strengthen the sport across the continent.

Now consider Africa — a region of 22 clubs across 47 nations, with vast promise and diversity. Only two candidates emerged — both declared supporters of the President.

Amina Mohammed of Kenya is a respected and accomplished diplomat, but not a lifelong motorsport organizer. And Rodrigo Rocha — was permitted to run because of an “Esports” event quietly added to the international sporting calendar last month by an e-vote. An event that, though scheduled for last weekend, to the best of our knowledge, appears never to have taken place. It’s not even listed on his own club’s calendar or social media pages, which, in fact, is a situation that mirrors what happened the last time he was on the ballot, an event put on the calendar but never run.

So I ask: is this how legitimacy should be built? Is this how African motorsport is best represented? Is this how to grow the sport in this critical region with so much untapped potential?

‍When elections are decided before ballots are cast, that’s not democracy — that’s theater. And when Member Clubs are left with no real choice, they become spectators, not participants.

And this is not just my view.

Just this week, the Utrecht School of Governance — an institution of global repute in sports integrity — released a study on the FIA using the Sports Governance Observer benchmark or SGO. The Executive Summary is aptly titled “Power without Brakes.”

So let me quote: “The FIA’s overall SGO index score is 45%, placing it among federations that have adopted the formal trappings of modern governance but lack robust institutional policies and safeguards. The FIA’s governance structurally concentrates power in the office of the President, and accountability remains confined within a system over which the President exercises decisive control.”

Regarding democracy, it continues: “The Presidential List system makes it difficult for challengers to stand for office. A closed-list system and a Nomination Committee that acts as a powerful gatekeeping mechanism make leadership continuity almost guaranteed.”

And then there is this warning — entitled Existential Risk -- and I quote once more: “Unless independent oversight, open and competitive elections, transparent decision-making, and stakeholder representation are introduced, the FIA will remain structurally predisposed to the concentration of power, leaving leadership integrity — not institutional design as the organization’s only line of defense against abuse. History across international sport governance shows that such reliance invariably fails.”

Those are not my words. They come from a world-leading academic authority on governance in sport.

If the FIA continues down this path, it risks serious consequences. Many of its largest clubs already voice concerns, and major investors in motorsport – who  demand strong governance measures – are openly critical. Revenues will flow out of the FIA and out of motorsport if investors cannot trust the leadership looking after their large-scale financial commitments.

The FIA’s credibility is not a given. It must be earned — through transparency, accountability, and integrity.

Three brief examples from my own experience: We strongly believe a series of ethics violations have been committed in this election process. And we have now submitted numerous ethics complaints. Assuming the Ethics Committee finds validity to our complaints, who does this go to for action? The President of the FIA or the Senate President — both conflicted parties. The Statutes don’t provide for any other method or for any appeal. Where is the accountability?

This is how institutions fail. This is “Power without Brakes.”

The Nominations Committee is, by statute, supposed to be transparent. Yet they have no published minutes, no published meetings, and refuse to release a list of people who submitted their names for the World Motor Sport Council — only a list of people they allegedly approved.

In fact, there is no publicly available evidence that this committee actually met. And if it did -- did the representative from Mozambique recuse himself when they approved Mr. Rocha from Mozambique? How would we know? There is absolutely no transparency.

This is how institutions fail. This is “Power without Brakes.”

Or speaking of the Nominations Committee — did they consider that Mr. Cohen of Costa Rica has no publicly listed events on the International Sporting Calendar; no international events listed on his own club’s website? Or was he "exceptionally approved" by the Senate — a process only open to the incumbent President? We don’t know, yet he was approved for the WMSC list.

This now is the brand of the FIA. This is what partners and clubs are beginning to realize. When you have power without brakes, institutions fail.

So the real campaign continues — for every club that still believes fairness and integrity matter. For every sport and mobility club that seeks equal access to information, funding, and opportunity. For every participant who believes the FIA should support them — not compete with them.

Across our travels, many Member Clubs told me: “We want to speak, but we can’t.” Clubs fear losing projects, funding, or recognition if they simply question the system.

That’s why this campaign must persist — not for power, but for principle. We will continue to be a voice for the silenced, and will not rest until every Member Club feels free to speak for itself. We will continue to champion both pillars of the FIA — Sport and Mobility.

On the Mobility side: We will advocate for policies that help clubs worldwide grow their businesses and support emerging clubs to become sustainable enterprises, not dependent institutions, because strong Mobility Clubs make for vibrant communities and lend strength to the FIA’s mission.

On the Sport side, our advocacy remains anchored in three words: Cost, Complexity, Culture. We must dramatically reduce costs for competitors and organizers — with real, implementable ideas. We must simplify the complexity of regulations that now act as barriers to entry, especially for grassroots events. And above all, we must change the culture — so the FIA becomes not the tip of a pyramid but the service that Member Clubs deserve.

As regulators, we must remember our role is not to control, but to serve; to be farsighted partners to the mobility and motorsport communities, helping plan well into the future, not disrupting those trying to build the future.

The FIA should be the partner of choice — the halo brand that promoters, investors, and governments want to stand next to;
that every club wants on their website; and that every club president wants to be associated with.

Over past months, traveling around the world, I have been supported, engaged, and advised by many clubs, organizations, and individuals. To all who supported and continue to support this journey — thank you. And I still have faith — in the clubs, in the volunteers, in people across motorsport and mobility who know that integrity still matters.

So, while the rules of this election mean that there will be no election, our cause continues. Because real leadership isn’t just about who holds office; it’s about who holds faith.

As challenging as the last few months have been for our campaign, and as hard the situation is now, I feel proud that we have acted with integrity throughout.

So yes, the ballot box may be closed, and the Members' voices silenced -- for now, But we will keep driving the FIA Forward — until democracy, service, and partnership are not just an illusion, but the living values that define our Federation -- every day.

THANK YOU.

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