FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem picks a longtime Ford partner for top sports role

By Canadian Press on April 23, 2025.

PARIS (AP) — FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem has picked a longtime partner of Ford to be the auto racing body’s new deputy president for sport after the previous official resigned in protest at how the organization is run.

The FIA said Wednesday that Ben Sulayem had nominated Malcolm Wilson, whose company M-Sport has operated Ford’s team in the World Rally Championship since 1997. The appointment needs to be confirmed by FIA member organizations in June.

Wilson’s appointment comes at a time when Ford is preparing to return to Formula 1 next year as a partner in Red Bull’s engine production.

The FIA, which oversees series including F1 and rallying, was shaken this month when Robert Reid, Ben Sulayem’s former running mate, resigned as deputy president for sport. The position is a key role in developing FIA policy on sports events. Reid said principles like transparency “have been increasingly set aside” at the FIA since he was elected alongside Ben Sulayem in 2021.

Numerous other senior officials have left or been replaced during that time and Ben Sulayem’s efforts to crack down on swearing have riled drivers in F1 and other series. Ben Sulayem can run for a second term as president later this year.

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AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

The Associated Press