FIA statutes state that the body will “respect the highest standards of governance, transparency and democracy, including anti-corruption functions and procedures”.

FIA rules require it to be neutral in the election process and that it has an obligation to provide “equal treatment between candidates for the FIA’s presidency”.

Mayer declined to comment, while the FIA has not responded to a series of questions from BBC Sport on the matter.

Robert Reid – who resigned as Ben Sulayem’s vice-president of sport in April, citing “a fundamental breakdown in governance standards within motorsport’s global governing body” – wrote earlier this week in a post on LinkedIn, external: “Each presidential candidate must present a full slate, including seven vice-presidents drawn from list of World Council nominees.

“If the incumbent already controls those names in any region through persuasion, pressure or promise, then no challenger can form.

“The process looks democratic, but in practice it locks the door from the inside. It isn’t democracy. It isn’t even unusual. But that doesn’t make it right.”

There is also doubt surrounding the eligibility of Daniel Coen from Costa Rica for the list of world motorsport council nominees, given that members must come from countries that host international motorsport events, which Costa Rica does not.

Coen is Ben Sulayem’s nominee for vice-president for sport representing North America.