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FIA presidential candidate Ari Vatanen has dropped the legal action he had lodged to impose measures for Friday's election, the International Automobile Federation (FIA) said on Tuesday.

"Following today's meeting to agree procedures for the upcoming FIA elections, Ari Vatanen has withdrawn his court application," motorsport's ruling body said in a statement.

Finn Vatanen had filed an application to a Paris court last week seeking safeguards over the transparency of Friday's election in the French capital.

Vatanen is battling with former Ferrari Formula One team boss Jean Todt to replace outgoing president Max Mosley for the most powerful position in world motorsport.

"At the meeting, chaired by FIA President Max Mosley, both candidates endorsed the fairness of the FIA's proposed voting procedure," the FIA statement read.

The procedure will include a public official supervising the election, a private voting area for marking ballot papers and an opportunity for each candidate to present their case prior to the election for a maximum of 15 minutes, the statement said.

Briton Mosley, who faced calls for his resignation last year after he was involved in a sex scandal, has publicly backed Frenchman Todt to take his place.

In a letter to Mosley published last week by FIA, former world rally champion Vatanen complained that the "principle of neutrality has been flouted constantly by the FIA".

The Finn accused Mosley as being the first to "violate" that principle. Mosley had replied with a letter, also published by FIA, expressing surprise at the criticism but reiterating his support for Todt.

(Source: Reuters)