Leading rally team boss Malcolm Wilson has been nominated as the new deputy president for sport at motorsport’s governing body the FIA.
The 69-year-old has been chosen by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to replace Robert Reid, who resigned two weeks ago.
FIA members will vote on Wilson’s nomination at the organisation’s General Assembly in Macau in June.
Wilson, a former British rally champion, is the managing director of M-Sport, which has run Ford’s world rally championship programme since 1997.
Reid resigned over what he described as “a fundamental breakdown in governance standards within motorsport’s global governing body”.
Ben Sulayem nominated Wilson without first seeking the support or approval of MotorsportUK, the UK’s national sporting authority.
A spokesperson for MotorsportUK said: “We were unaware that Malcolm was being proposed as deputy president of sport for the FIA. It came as complete surprise to us.”
An FIA spokesperson said: “Any FIA full member may decide to support a candidate and make him their representative.”
MotorsportUK chairman David Richards has recently been critical of Ben Sulayem’s actions, saying he has had a “shift of moral compass”.
Richards is among a series of critics who have described what they say is the erosion of accountability within the FIA and concentration of power in the president’s hands.
In the wake of Reid’s resignation, the former FIA chief executive officer Natalie Robyn broke her silence over having left the organisation after just 18 months in the role last summer.
Robyn told BBC Sport she had “worked under challenging circumstances to strengthen the federation’s governance framework and upgrade its operational transparency”.
She said Reid’s departure “clearly indicates there are serious ongoing structural challenges”, adding: “When professional processes are not adhered to and stakeholders are excluded from decision-making, it undermines the foundation of a strong organisation.”
Ben Sulayem said of Wilson in an FIA statement: “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 was quoted in a statement saying that it was a “great honour” to be nominated for the role.
Wilson added: “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’s first term as president expires in December. No-one has yet come forward to oppose the Emirati.
