The FIA has officially announced that Mohammed ben Sulayem has been re-elected for a second term as the president of the governing body of motorsport. This outcome was largely anticipated as the election regulations restricted any other candidates from being eligible, resulting in Ben Sulayem being the only contender. He garnered an overwhelming 91.5 percent of the votes during the election held at the FIA General Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, receiving a standing ovation from the attendees.
Despite the election taking place, there is uncertainty surrounding its validity in the long term. One of the potential candidates, Laura Villars, sought legal intervention in the French courts, leading to a hearing scheduled for mid-February to evaluate the legitimacy of the election process by the FIA.
Challengers such as Swiss racer Villars, American Tim Mayer, and Belgium’s Virginie Philippot had expressed their intentions to run against Ben Sulayem. However, they failed to nominate a complete list of vice-presidents as required by the FIA election rules. This lack of alternative candidates led to criticism from Mayer, who referred to the process as an “illusion of democracy.”
Villars escalated the matter by initiating legal proceedings in France against the FIA, with a hearing set for February 16 to potentially review or annul the election’s validity. The FIA has confirmed that the election for the president proceeded on December 12, as planned, and emphasized its commitment to addressing important issues within motorsport and automotive mobility at the General Assemblies.
Ben Sulayem’s re-election was publicly announced by the FIA via social media, stating that a majority of the General Assembly had voted in his favor. As a result, he is set to serve another four-year term as the president of the FIA, overseeing prestigious motorsport series including the Formula 1 World Championship.
Having first been elected in 2021, Ben Sulayem succeeded Jean Todt, the former Ferrari team principal, who had led the organization for 12 years before opting not to pursue a fourth term. Sky has recently enhanced its Ultimate TV and Sky Sports bundle, now offering a wide range of additional content alongside comprehensive coverage of Formula 1 and other sports events.