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BMF President elected to World Motor Sport Council

Barbados Motoring Federation (BMF) President Andrew Mallalieu was elected to the World Motor Sport Council of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) at its Annual General Assembly in Paris, France last Friday (December 17). The elections came immediately after Mohammed Ben Sulayem of the United Arab Emirates won a four-year term as FIA President, replacing Jean Todt, who has stepped down after three consecutive four-year terms, the maximum allowable under FIA limitation rules.
 With responsibility for all aspects of international motor sport, the WMSC meets at least four times a year to decide on rules, regulations, safety and development of motor sport at every level from karting to Formula 1, including the saloon car categories such as WRC, WRX and WEC. The WMSC is made up of the FIA President, the Deputy President for Sport Robert Reid, co-driver to 2001 World Champion Richard Burns, the Deputy President for Mobility Tim Sherman, who is President of the Canadian Automobile Association, plus seven Vice-Presidents, 14 titular members and five members by right, including the Presidents of the Women in Motor Sport, International Karting and FIA Manufacturers’ and Drivers’ Commissions.
 Mallalieu was elected from a list of 40 candidates as one of the 14 titular members, many of whom will serve for the first time. Other successful candidates include the Chairman of Motorsport UK David Richards, nine-time winner of the Le Mans 24 Hours Tom Kristensen representing Denmark and Australia’s Garry Connelly, who was re-elected. Against the background of the ongoing pandemic, the AGA was held as a hybrid meeting, with both physical and remote on-line voting.
 Mallalieu said: “It is certainly an honour and a privilege to be elected by the clubs around the world to serve in this position. Our work in Barbados in forming and maintaining a united Federation that brings all disciplines together is a model for the region and internationally.
 “I would like to make special mention of my father who, as a founding member of the Barbados Rally Club, has been my inspiration for building strong and sustainable motor sport. In my new role on the WMSC I will have an opportunity to shape the direction of the sport globally. Coming right after Barbados has chosen to chart its own course as the newest Republic it should not be missed that we are recognised in many areas as leaders and capable of contributing on the global stage fighting well above our weight category.
 “Many parts of the Council’s agenda are already fixed but I hope to bring a unique perspective that small island developing states face as we develop sustainable motor sport and deal with the issues of diversity and access for persons with limited resources. My agenda necessarily shifts from solely on Barbados to a regional and global perspective. I intend to work closely with the clubs in our region to help them all to strengthen their positions both locally and regionally. I see my election to this position as a great opportunity that requires dedication and commitment. It will require more travel and time away from my family and I want to thank my wife and children for the sacrifices that they have made as I pursued my passion for motor sport. I could not have gotten this far without Selena’s support, backing and love.”
 Mallalieu’s election comes 12 years after he was first selected by President Todt to become an FIA Steward, serving on the Rallies Commission representing North America and the Caribbean and acting as a Steward at rounds of the World Rally Championship. In November 2014, he became the first FIA Formula 1 Steward from the English-speaking Caribbean – fellow WMSC member Garry Connelly was the Chairman of the Stewards at Mallalieu’s first GP in Brazil – and has since served regularly on the Stewards Panel for F1, F2 and F3, becoming one of the Permanent Chairmen of the F2 and F3 panels in 2019. He will continue in these roles in 2022 and beyond and is also now a member of the FIA Single-Seater Commission. His last race for the season was the final round of the F2 championship in Abu Dhabi last weekend.
 A former member of the Barbados Rally Club’s (BRC) Committee of Management and Club Treasurer, Mallalieu has approaching 35 years’ experience in motor sport administration; he became the FIA delegate for the BRC in 1994, when the Rally Club was the island’s ASN, and subsequently founding President of the BMF in 2000. He is also a regular competitor, now at the wheel of a Ford Fiesta R5, in island rallies and speed events.

Editor’s note: affiliated to the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), which rules the sport worldwide, the Barbados Motoring Federation (BMF) is the island’s governing body for motor sport; it also represents the interests of its Member Clubs in discussions with Government departments which facilitate the sport in the island, in particular the Ministry of Transport, Works & Maintenance, which permits road closures for an agreed number of events each year. Away from motor sport, the BMF affiliate which answers the FIA Mobility remit is the Barbados Automobile Association (BAA), an executive committee member of the Government’s Barbados Road Safety Council.