Ben Sulayem’s power move: Wants FIA term limits scrapped!

Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s grip on the FIA could be set to stretch far beyond the governing body’s current limits after reports emerged that the FIA president is seeking to scrap the rule capping how long he can remain in charge.

The move, which is expected to ignite a fierce debate across the motorsport world, would effectively open the door for Ben Sulayem to continue standing for re-election indefinitely rather than being restricted by the FIA’s existing 12-year maximum.

At present, Article 20.10 of the FIA statutes states that “the President of the FIA may not serve more than three terms of office, whether consecutive or not, i.e. a maximum duration of 12 years”.

But according to a story published by BBC Sport, Ben Sulayem now wants that restriction removed entirely.

The timing of the proposal is particularly eye-catching given the Emirati’s increasingly dominant position inside the FIA structure.

Ben Sulayem secured a second term last year without facing opposition after no rival candidate succeeded in assembling the required slate of vice-presidential nominations needed to formally enter the race.

Under FIA rules, presidential hopefuls must secure support from seven vice-presidents spread across the organisation’s global regions – a hurdle that proved impossible for any challenger to overcome.

Crucially, Fabiana Ecclestone was reportedly the only available South American representative and had already aligned herself with Ben Sulayem’s campaign.

FIA faces new governance battle

The proposed change would mark a significant shift away from reforms introduced during Jean Todt’s presidency, when limits on presidential terms were formally written into the FIA rulebook.

Before Todt completed his own 12-year tenure, former FIA president Max Mosley had remained in power for 16 years, while Jean-Marie Balestre stepped aside after serving two four-year terms.

Now, the debate over governance and concentration of power is roaring back into focus.

In response to questions surrounding the proposal, an FIA spokesperson insisted the suggested amendment is designed to align the presidency with tenure rules already applied elsewhere within the organisation.

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"A proposal has been put forward to establish a consistent approach to tenure across all FIA bodies, similar to what currently exists for the World Councils and the Senate," the spokesperson said, quoted by Motorsport.com. .

"The proposal is subject to approval by the World Councils and by the General Assembly. FIA bodies retain full authority to democratically elect officeholders."

The final decision now rests with the FIA’s General Assembly, where members will vote on the proposed statutory changes in the coming months.

But regardless of the outcome, the mere prospect of removing presidential term limits is already guaranteed to intensify scrutiny around Ben Sulayem’s leadership – and raise fresh questions about how much power one figure should hold at the very top of world motorsport.

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