[Trans-Am Jim]

The FIA is not controlled by the French, although it's headquarters are in Paris. The current president of the FIA is Max Mosley, from England.

The FIA controls worldwide motorsports through the consensus of it's "member organizations", the various ASN's, or National Sporting Authorities. It's kinda like the UN of motorsports.

The United States delegate to the FIA, (our ASN), is ACCUS (Automobile Competition Committee of the US). ACCUS is made up of the recognized sanctioning bodies such as SCCA, NHRA, NASCAR, USAC, IMSA, etc...
You get to be a recognized sanctioning body by a vote of the FIA.