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Malcolm Wilson Nominated as FIA Deputy President for Sport

Malcolm Wilson, a prominent figure in rallying and founder of M-Sport, has been put forward by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem as his chosen candidate to replace Robert Reid as the deputy president for sport of the FIA. The decision will be put to a vote during the extraordinary general assemblies and conference scheduled for June in Macau.

Reid recently stepped down from his position, citing a significant “standards breakdown” within the organization. He expressed concerns regarding a decline in the principles that the FIA is committed to, stating, “Over time, I have witnessed a steady erosion of the principles we promised to uphold. Decisions are being made behind closed doors, bypassing the very structures and people the FIA exists to represent.”

Wilson is a well-respected name in the rallying community, both as a former rally driver and a successful entrepreneur. His partnership with Ford led to his triumph in the British Rally Championship in 1994, and under his leadership, M-Sport secured the World Rally Championship for manufacturers in both 2006 and 2007.

In recognition of his contributions to motorsport, Wilson was honored with the Order of the British Empire in 2009 as part of HM The Queen’s birthday honors list. M-Sport, situated in Dovenby Hall near Cockermouth, Cumbria, has demonstrated resilience, notably persevering through Ford’s withdrawal as a works team due to Wilson’s entrepreneurial spirit. The company has expanded its portfolio to include developing customer engines for the British Touring Car Championship, managing Bentley’s GT3 campaign, and collaborating with Jaguar on the i-PACE eTROPHY series for Formula E.

Ben Sulayem expressed his enthusiasm for Wilson’s nomination, stating, “I am delighted to nominate Malcolm Wilson OBE for the role of FIA deputy president for sport. Malcolm has had a distinguished career in global motorsport. For over 40 years he has competed at the highest level both as a driver and technical partner to teams. This experience will be invaluable to the FIA and our member clubs as we continue to grow grassroots and professional motorsport, driving innovation in the sport to benefit fans, drivers and teams.”

Wilson himself shared his sentiments about the nomination, saying, “The FIA has played a central role in my career, and I very much look forward to supporting the president and all the FIA family in its important mission. There has never been a more exciting time to be in motorsport, and I know first-hand the benefits the sport brings to families and communities across the world. I look forward to working with the president for the duration of his current term of office, bringing our sport to new audiences and ensuring we deliver the very best championships for all our competitors.”

Ben Sulayem is set to complete his current term this year and is preparing for re-election in December.

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