FIA election to go ahead despite legal challenge

Although legal proceedings could overturn the results in February, the FIA’s presidential election is scheduled to take place next week.

No other candidate can challenge Mohammed Ben Sulayem as the incumbent candidate in a tidbit of the motorsport’s governing body’s election rules on December 12.

Laura Villars, a Swiss racing driver, had filed a lawsuit against the FIA in October to challenge its election process.

The election will take place as planned in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with Ben Sulayem expected to serve a second four-year term after her lawyer requested an emergency judgment from a Paris court.

Villars stated in a press release that the judge “must be examined regarding the irregularities raised regarding the presidential election” despite the court’s absence of a decision.

We will therefore continue this case against the FIA before the merits judges, according to Villars’ attorney, Robin Binsard. The 16 February 2026 hearing is scheduled for the first time.

The French Court’s decision, according to a FIA spokesperson, was made on December 3rd, confirming that the FIA General Assembly’s election will take place on December 12th.

In a press release, it was stated that the election’s “validity” could be reviewed, challenged, or canceled “at that hearing, when issues raised by Villars” would be first addressed before the court.”

For comment, the FIA has received inquiries.

Villars made her announcement in September, but she was unable to compile the necessary list of potential vice-presidents from an official list of 29 by the deadline of October 24.

Only one South American is listed on the official list, and Brazilian Fabiana Ecclestone, the wife of former F1 boss Bernie, is already a member of Ben Sulayem’s team.

No one else can enter the election because of that, which prohibits any other candidate from naming a potential vice-president from South America.

The “impossibility of presenting an alternative list” and the “unprecedented situation of a single eligible candidate in South America” are among the issues raised by Villars, as well as the failure to adhere to the FIA’s stated principles of governance, democracy, and integrity.

When fellow candidate Mayer announced his intention to withdraw from his campaign for president in October, he accused the FIA of “lacking transparency” and creating the illusion of democracy.