Story by Dan Armstrong
Courtesy Photo
Tim Mayer ’91 says teamwork builds championships.
Tim Mayer ’91 likes it when a system works well. When it doesn’t?
“I’ll rail against it,” he says.
Followers of Formula One likely already knew that. His recently announced bid for the presidency of the FIA, motorsports’ governing body, was launched on the heels of his sharp public criticisms of the current leadership.
Railing against what he doesn’t like may be in Mayer’s nature. His late father Teddy, co-founder of McLaren Racing, is remembered for his combative and feisty personality. But Mayer says it’s a trait honed through his experiences in three of the biggest “team sports” in the world: auto racing, the Army and business.
After spending his teens in the UK, Mayer sought a college near his Pennsylvania roots. An initial interest in electrical engineering steered him to Lehigh.
Coming from overseas, Mayer sought to immerse himself in the college experience, which included being elected to the Forum, a precursor to the faculty and student senates. In the Forum, Mayer represented the interests of students in university governance.
“The Forum allowed for open dialogue and criticism,” he says. “Lehigh encouraged student participation in the governance of the entire institution. They embraced a diversity of opinions.”
Addressing the Forum, then university President Peter Likens gave Mayer and his fellow students some lasting advice.
“He encouraged us to grow instead of just accumulating a pile of knowledge,” Mayer says. “That stuck with me.”
Still, academics are a big part of the college experience, one that Mayer says he ignored to his own detriment.
After two years with an anemic GPA, “I was quite thoroughly kicked out,” he says.
Seeking a more focused plan for his life, Mayer enlisted in the U.S. Army. There, he learned lessons on the value of hard work and teamwork.
While the military is known for its strict hierarchy, Mayer says it’s a misperception that those on the lower rungs of authority are powerless. As a private, he says he had not only the ability but also the duty to call out problems.
“Speaking up about problems you see or ways to improve things is absolutely encouraged. You’re all working as a team, regardless of rank,” he says.
After two years, he returned to Lehigh through the ROTC with a better sense of balance and purpose. He changed his major to business management, aligning with his interest in running teams, building relationships and tackling big projects.
After graduating, he served as an officer in the Army and Army Reserve before turning his focus to motorsports. Early work on projects for racing superstar Emerson Fittipaldi inspired him to start G3 Communications, a firm through which he has organized races throughout the world, produced global television broadcasts and consulted on racing issues.
In 1998, he was recruited as senior vice president of racing operations for Champ Car and has since served in executive roles with the International Motor Sports Association and American Le Mans Series. He also served in the volunteer role of FIA Steward from 2009 to 2024.
As the independent judicial branch of race governance, stewards interpret regulations and issue rulings and penalties.
As Chairman of the Stewards, he witnessed what he called a “degradation of the system” under FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. He felt compelled to call out the problems he saw, ultimately spurring his presidential bid.
His campaign promises were to “restore democracy within the FIA, empower diverse perspectives, and rebuild a culture of open dialogue.”
It’s a team-based approach that was reinforced to him by Roger Penske ’59, another motorsports luminary and Lehigh alum.
“We were discussing what makes a championship team. You obviously need a great driver, a great car—engine, tires, aerodynamics—but teamwork is what’s required to be a championship team,” Mayer says. “Most often, good management is the missing ingredient.”