FIA confirms Ben Sulayem’s solo run in presidential election

The FIA has made official what the motorsport community already knew: Mohammed Ben Sulayem will stand as the sole candidate in December’s presidential election.

The announcement, dropped with the casual finality of a checkered flag at the end of a processional race, confirms that next month’s election in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, will be less a contest and more a formality – a predictable echo of power's quiet consolidation.

Ben Sulayem, who took office at the end of 2021 after Jean Todt completed his maximum three terms, now appears all but certain to secure another mandate—unless courtroom drama or late upheaval intervenes.

A Process Only One Person Could Survive

Several figures had publicly expressed interest in challenging Ben Sulayem earlier this year. But their ambitions soon collided with the FIA’s strict requirement that any presidential ticket include ten named officials – among them seven vice presidents for sport, drawn from specific regions around the world.

On paper, it sounded like an exercise in global representation. In practice, it became the defining obstacle.

The sticking point was South America. When the FIA released its list of eligible candidates for the World Motor Sport Council, just one name appeared from the region: Fabiana Ecclestone, who happens to be part of Ben Sulayem’s own ticket.

With the only qualifying South American candidate already aligned with the incumbent, the field of potential challengers was effectively wiped out.

Tim Mayer, Laura Villars, and Virginie Philipott all attempted to build complete slates. None succeeded before the deadline. And as the clock ran out, the election has transformed from a contest into a coronation.

Legal Challenge Looms, But Time Is Short

The most vocal challenger, 28-year-old Laura Villars from Switzerland, took the matter further, arguing that the rules governing the nomination process contradict the FIA’s own statutes by creating an insurmountable barrier to competition.

Villars secured a hearing in Paris earlier this week, winning the right for her complaints to be formally assessed. A judge is set to deliver a ruling on December 3 – just nine days before the FIA is scheduled to hold its election in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

Whether the judgment can meaningfully influence the outcome remains to be seen. But unless the court decides to upend the process entirely, the FIA appears destined to re-install Ben Sulayem without a single ballot cast against him.

In a sport built on split-second drama, the result of this race was known long before the lights ever went out.

Read also:

FIA drama: Villars sues federation over undemocratic election rules

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