Gautam Singhania was defeated in his bid for 14 WMSC seats reserved for titular members. The announcement occurred on the same day that Mohammed Ben Sulayem was sworn in as the new President of the FIA, succeeding Jean Todt.
The World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) has responsibility for all aspects of international motorsport. It meets at least four times a year to decide on rules, regulations, safety, and development of motorsport at every level from karting to Formula One.
The WMSC is made up of the FIA President, the Deputy President for Sport, 7 Vice-Presidents, 14 titular members, and 5 members by right. All, with the exception of the FIA President and members by right, must represent a National Sporting Authority (ASN) with at least one event entered on the International Sporting Calendar, and be of different nationalities.
India has lost its seat on the FIA’s all-powerful World Motor Sport Council for the first time in more than three decades (WMSC)
Vicky Chandhok remains in the governing body on FMSCI’s eight-member Governing council
K.D. Madan and Vijay Mallya, in addition to Mr. Singhania, have previously served on the WMSC. Vicky Chandhok, the former FMSCI president who was instrumental in bringing Formula 1 to India in 2011, believes the federation should have sent at least two candidates.
Mr. Chandhok remains on FMSCI’s eight-member governing council which is headed by president Akbar Ebrahim.
“It’s highly unfortunate that the FMSCI council decided by majority to send only a single nomination for the post of the FIA WMSC candidature while it could have sent multiple nominations,”
“President Ebrahim had proposed to the Council to send two names who would figure on the preferred presidential lists of the two candidates for the FIA Presidency which was shot down by a majority vote. Only one name was sent which was for the list of Mr. Stoker according to the nominee.
“No second name was sent on the list of Mr. Sulayem who has been elected the FIA President today in a landslide victory. Unfortunately, India which has been represented for over three decades in the past now goes unrepresented in the WMSC.”
We continue having a good working relationship with FIA and President Ebrahim
He further added “I would like to congratulate my good friend Mohammed on his election as the FIA President which is unprecedented & shows that diversity has gained momentum,”
FMSCI president Ebrahim said the federation has a solid relationship with the FIA and is confident that India’s interests will be protected even if the WMSC is not there.
“It would be much better if we were represented on the WMSC but we have had a good working relationship with the FIA for a long time and we also have good relations with the new president,” said Ebrahim.
