FIA revises 'confusing' rules for presidential election

Ahead of the December 6 contest between Jean Todt and David Ward, the governing body has reduced the number of support candidates that each man must have behind him.

A permanent change to the way the election is run is set to be discussed at the FIA's General Assembly on the same day.

The election rules demand that each candidate must have a cabinet of 17 members - made up of both FIA mobility and sporting representatives - supporting him on his presidential list.

These lists must be submitted between October 25 and November 15, ahead of the December 6 election.

However, the FIA has admitted in a letter to clubs that there is some 'confusion' about the inclusion of mobility vice presidents on that list - as these were effectively voted in by the mobility regions themselves rather than through the president.

Following discussions at the FIA, it has now been decided that each presidential candidate will no longer need to submit mobility vice-president candidates.

Now the candidate will need just 11 members on his list - the president, president of the senate, deputy president of mobility, deputy president for sport and seven vice-presidents for sport.

Ward has gone further, however, and suggested that it would actually be better for the FIA to have the vice-presidents for sport taken off the list and voted for by clubs too.

"This would follow the precedent already used for the vice presidents for mobility who are elected by their regions independently. This approach is both much simpler, more democratic and accountable," he said.

His calls appear to have little support from Todt's camp, with FIA Senate president Nick Craw telling Ward last week that: "the idea of electing sport VPs democratically is not practical."

However, AUTOSPORT understands that some FIA member clubs have tabled a motion for the December 6 meeting to discuss removing the need for vice-presidents for sport being included on the Presidential list as well.