Bribery and impartiality to decide FIA presidency election?

With just three days left until the presidential elections for the FIA, further uncertainties are being raised about the impartiality of the election. In that, Surinder Thatthi, the president of the FIA confederation of African Countries has accused Ari Vatanen of bribery.

Thatthi, who is openly supportive towards Jean Todt has claimed that rival presidential candidate Ari Vatanen offered him the return of the Safari Kenya stage in the World Rally Championship should he win the election against Jean Todt.

Quickly after that, Thatthi himself was accused of attempting to buy votes in support of Todt. He has though of having approached the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of Uganda (FMU) to try to convince them to support the Frenchman.

The deal involved Thatthi paying the outstanding €2,820 FIA subscription fee for the FMU, which if left unpaid until the election day (October 23), will render the clubs vote null.

Already one week ago, The Daily Telegraph published leaked emails proving that senior FIA members - and even members of the FIA foundation - have been lobbying for Jean Todt. While it is not perfectly clear why there are some many involved in Todt's campaign, it is no secret that current president Max Mosley is supportive of the Frenchman, a statement that Ari Vatanen sees as interference and a break of Mosley's supposed impartiality.