Tim Mayer will be unveiling a campaign to become FIA president this year, racers understand.
Confirmations are expected at the British Grand Prix, with a press conference being called on Friday morning to announce the presidential candidate ahead of the scheduled election in December. The racer understands that the Americans left the governing body later last year and that it will be former FIA senior steward Mayer who announces his candidacy.
At the time, Mayer told the BBC that he was fired by one of President Mohammed Bensleyem’s assistants via text message after having to represent the race organizers for the US Grand Prix with the right to a review hearing.
The 59-year-old son of former McLaren team principal Teddy May, has more than 30 years of experience in motorsports, started with IndyCar, where he has been a television producer and officially in multiple roles, becoming Senior Vice President of the racing business in Champion Cars.
Mayer also cast a spell as IMSA’s Chief Operating Officer before joining the FIA as a race director and steward, and took on the role of one of the chairs of Formula 1 Stewards in 2016.
Friday’s announcement guarantees there is opposition to current President Ben Slayem, who confirmed he will run for a second term in May. Ben Sulayem’s first four years of spells as FIA president are plagued by multiple departures of senior staff and claims of lack of transparency from both F1 drivers and several national motorsports organizations.
He has also been criticized for changes made to the FIA Act, but he helped the Governing Body make money on recent accounts after causing major losses in the final year before he was elected. The former FIA secretary of Motorsports Shaila Anne Rao, one of the well-known senior departures, also returned as an advisor to the president earlier this year.
Carlos Sainz Sr. recently ruled out the presidency attempt, citing the current situation as “not ideal,” and announced his previous announcement of his interest in running.
