Following the resignation of FIA deputy president for sport Robert Reid, the FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has nominated his successor.

And that individual is Malcolm Wilson OBE, the ex-rally driver and current managing director of M-Sport, as a crucial vote from FIA members now looms over that nomination.

FIA members to vote on new deputy president proposal

Reid had played a key role in Ben Sulayem’s leadership team – who succeeded ex-Ferrari boss Jean Todt as FIA president in 2021 – but walked away from the role in April.

And the figure who Ben Sulayem wants to see as Reid’s successor, Malcolm Wilson OBE, possesses a glittering CV in the world of rallying, his racing career followed by founding M-Sport Ltd – the operator of Ford’s World Rally Championship programme – where he serves as managing director of what has become a multi-time Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ World Championship-winning outfit.

Wilson also led the design and development of the Bentley Continental GT3 race car.

At the Extraordinary General Assemblies and Conference in Macau, held from June 10-13, 2025, FIA members will cast their vote on Ben Sulayem’s nomination of Wilson as the new FIA deputy president for sport.

In a statement, Ben Sulayem said: “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 motor sport. 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 motor sport, driving innovation in the sport to benefit fans, drivers and teams.”

Wilson added: “Having started my career in motor sport in the 1970’s as a driver and then technical partner to teams, it is a great honour to be nominated for the role of FIA deputy president for sport.

“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 motor sport, 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.”

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Former FIA deputy president for sport Reid has recently released a statement of his own, detailing why he made the call to walk away from the governing body.

“As I said in my initial statement, my decision to resign was not about personalities or politics. It was about principles,” Reid began in a Substack post.

“I took on this role with a clear mandate: to help lead a transparent, accountable, and member-led federation. While some early progress was made, I ultimately found myself unable to continue within a system that no longer reflected the standards I believe the FIA must uphold.

“One of the clearest and most troubling examples of this breakdown involved the internalisation of the World Rallycross Championship. I repeatedly raised concerns, both about the governance process and potential legal implications, and received no response, despite my elected responsibilities and fiduciary obligations.

“Eventually, I had no choice but to seek external legal advice and support. Only then did I receive a response, but unfortunately it lacked the clarity and rigour I had hoped for.

“I was told, in broad terms, that the governance process was sound and there was no legal risk. But no evidence or explanation was offered to support those assurances. As someone accountable to the membership and exposed to personal liability, that was simply not acceptable.

“I also want to address recent speculation regarding the Non-Disclosure Agreement amendment. I fully support the need for confidentiality and have personally been deeply frustrated at the number of leaks that undermine trust and effective governance.

“One journalist said to me that perhaps the FIA should be more concerned with why people are leaking than who is doing it and I think that’s worth reflecting on.

“I did not refuse to sign the NDA amendment. I simply requested a short extension in order to seek legal advice on a complex document governed by Swiss law, which was presented with a relatively short deadline. That request was denied.

“As a result, I was excluded from the World Motor Sport Council meeting, in my view, both unfairly and unlawfully. Ten days later, my FIA email was disabled without notice. Multiple requests for assistance and explanation went unanswered until, following a legal letter from my counsel, I was informed this had been a deliberate decision.

“I want to be clear: I remain bound by confidentiality obligations and will continue to respect those legal responsibilities. I will not disclose information received in confidence or obtained in my official capacity.

“But what I can say and what I must say is this: I spoke up when I felt fundamental principles were being eroded. I did so respectfully, constructively, and always with the aim of safeguarding the integrity of our sport. But doing so came at a cost. It became clear that raising legitimate concerns was not always welcomed, and I experienced firsthand how challenging the status quo can lead to exclusion rather than dialogue. I don’t regret speaking up. But I do believe I was treated unfairly for doing so.

“Leadership matters. Governance matters. And trust, once lost, is hard to rebuild. If motorsport is to remain credible and thrive into the future, it must be governed not by control, but by collaboration. Not by silence, but by accountability.

“A lot of people have asked what comes next. The truth is, this was never about a “next move.” It was about saying: ‘this isn’t good enough, and I can’t be part of it anymore.’”

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