Ben Sulayem set to take on opponent for FIA presidency.
Tim Mayer is set to formally announce his presidential campaign.
Controversial FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem will face opposition in the election scheduled for December. Recently, rally icon Carlos Sainz, father of the Williams driver with the same name, decided against running for the leadership of Formula 1 after a period of reflection.
However, on Thursday at Silverstone, it became known that 59-year-old Tim Mayer, son of the renowned former McLaren team principal Teddy Mayer, will officially kick off his presidential campaign on Friday, near the British GP venue. The respected motorsport figure and former F1 steward, who claims he was dismissed by Ben Sulayem via text message, was quoted by the Guardian as stating, "After 15 years of volunteering my time as a steward, a decade teaching other stewards, and spending hundreds of hours volunteering in other roles, I received a text from one of his assistants."
The FIA has refuted these claims. However, the newspaper highlights that Mayer "poses a credible challenge to Ben Sulayem’s position."
George Russell, co-director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, voiced his support for Mayer's candidacy. "I believe competition is always beneficial in life as it encourages people to perform at their best," remarked the Mercedes driver. "This is something we have advocated for previously. When two individuals vie for the same position, it drives you to bring your A-game. It's somewhat akin to a driver’s contract, I suppose," the Briton chuckled.
The FIA presidential election is set to take place on December 12 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
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