The FIA has officially announced that Mohammed ben Sulayem has been re-elected for a second term as the president of the governing body for motorsport. This outcome was anticipated as the election regulations restricted other candidates from qualifying to run for the position.
With no other contenders eligible to appear on the ballot, Ben Sulayem emerged as the sole candidate despite three others expressing their desire to contest. He garnered an overwhelming 91.5 percent of the vote during the election held at the FIA General Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, receiving a standing ovation from the assembly attendees.
The validity of the election process remains uncertain as a hearing is scheduled for mid-February to evaluate the fairness of the FIA’s election procedures. Swiss racer Villars, along with Tim Mayer and Virginie Philippot from the U.S. and Belgium respectively, were the challengers to Ben Sulayem, but they failed to compile a complete list of potential vice-presidents as required by FIA election rules.
The lack of viable alternatives meant that Villars, Mayer, and Philippot could not be included on the ballot. Mayer raised concerns about the election process during a press conference in Austin, criticizing what he perceived as a flawed democratic system. Villars took legal action in France against the governing body, prompting a hearing on February 16 to potentially review or annul the election’s validity.
The FIA affirmed that the election for the President proceeded as planned on December 12 after the French Court’s decision, resulting in Ben Sulayem’s re-election. Serving another four-year term, he will continue to oversee the Formula 1 World Championship and other top-tier motorsport series.
Ben Sulayem, who first assumed office in 2021 by defeating Graham Stoker, succeeded Jean Todt, the former Ferrari team principal, who led the organization for 12 years before opting not to seek a fourth term. Formula 1 enthusiasts can now enjoy live coverage of every practice, qualifying session, and race with Sky’s new Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle, offering significant savings and access to various TV channels, Netflix, and Discovery+.
