Ben Sulayem eyes another controversial FIA rule change

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem is reportedly seeking to dismantle another longstanding safeguard governing the leadership of motorsport’s governing body, with a proposal to abolish age restrictions for senior officeholders set to go before the organisation’s General Assembly next month.

The latest initiative, reported by BBC Sport, would remove the rule preventing anyone over the age of 75 from standing as part of a presidential team.

It represents another significant proposed alteration to the FIA’s governance framework, coming just six months after Ben Sulayem scrapped the previous four-year term limits imposed on people holding senior positions across the organisation.

At 65, the Emirati would have little immediate concern about the existing age threshold. However, removing it would theoretically eliminate another potential obstacle to his continued leadership, opening the door to an effectively lifelong presidency.

Another governance safeguard under scrutiny

The FIA's age restriction was initially set at 70 in 2023, during Ben Sulayem's first presidential term, before being increased to 75 in 2024. The president was subsequently re-elected unopposed for a second four-year mandate in December last year.

According to the BBC, the proposal submitted for next month's vote argues that "age limits could restrict the number of qualified candidates eligible for election by the competent bodies, in particular individuals whose experience and expertise could be of benefit to the FIA".

Asked to explain the apparent reversal in policy, an FIA spokesperson defended the proposed change, telling BBC Sport:

"The proposal to remove age limits for FIA officeholders brings the FIA in line with organisations such as the BBC, whose chairman is 74.

"It was approved by the world councils for submission in line with the process set out in the FIA statutes, and will only take effect if the general assembly votes in favour.

• Read also: FIA imposes a firewall between F1 teams and outside staff

"An age limit excludes candidates solely on the basis of their date of birth, regardless of their experience, expertise, or ability to contribute.

"Ultimately, the competent FIA bodies will retain full authority to elect the officeholders they deem appropriate."

Whether the proposal secures approval remains to be seen. But following the removal of term limits, another relaxation of the rules governing eligibility is unlikely to silence concerns about the concentration of power within motorsport's governing institution.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook