Malcolm Wilson officially appointed FIA Vice President for Sport

This is no surprise, and it is reflected in two very small lines in the minutes of the meeting at the end of the ceremony. Malcolm Wilson was elected FIA Vice President for Sport on Thursday, June 12. I am delighted to take on this role.he says. As the Federation continues its mission to advance motorsport and develop local initiatives, I look forward to helping shape the future of the sport we love and working with the President to continue to develop and strengthen our championships. »

Since Robert Reid's departure on April 10, the position has been vacant and the team's creator M-Sport had not denied the rumor announcing him on the horizon, even showing great interest in this position. This arrival could allow the opening of a new era for the WRC. Indeed, since the new presidency, the rally did not appear to be a priority for the FIA ​​leadership. Malcolm Wilson's name alone raises enormous hopes that the Englishman, who will be 70 next year (February 17), will do everything he can to satisfy. He has already started.

Since recognizing his attraction to the position, he has held numerous interviews with various key people at the WRC. In the Canary Islands, he has not often left the structure where he had set up his "office," but his interlocutors have followed one another. In Sardinia, Cyril Abiteboul almost came just to meet him before leaving without following the rally.

Wilson will try to strengthen the appeal of the WRC as the regulations evolve

Having started his company in 1979 while continuing to pilot, Wilson has a huge knowledge of the industry. “Rallying is my life,” he likes to repeat when asked if his organization will be present next year. His recent involvement is however surprising, because in recent months the founder of the team had tried to take a step back. He had stopped traveling to all the rounds and he had delegated the management of the WRC team to Richard Millener and that of rally raid to his son Matthew. The challenge or the prospect of actually being able to act made him return to the fight for the WRC. Nothing has been communicated regarding his position and role at the FIA, but it seems clear that his scope of action will be limited to the WRC.

Several projects await him. He's been working on them for several weeks now. A change of developer is in the pipeline and is at the top of his pile of files. Although the process is currently on hold, this situation should be resolved, which will have an impact on various areas, such as the possible involvement of new builders. Malcolm has already looked into the subject, just as he has begun to give his opinion on the 2027 technical regulations.

He strongly believes in the application of a system of technological equivalence similar to that practiced in rally-raid (where M-Sport is involved with Ford). Advocating diversity, he hopes that bringing together the WRC2027 and current Rally2 cars in a single category will allow for a stronger top-flight field and offer more competitors the opportunity to aim for victory. Now officially in office, the first decisions of Malcolm Wilson, who is said to be listened to by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, are eagerly awaited.

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