A candidate for the FIA presidential election has refused to rule out possible legal action, as current president Mohammed ben Sulayem is poised to be re-elected unopposed. This follows the release of a list of potential vice-presidents for the motorsport governing body, which presides over Formula 1 and other championships.
Every aspiring presidential candidate must propose a list of potential vice-presidents, two each from Europe and Asia and one each from North America, South America and Africa. They must also suggest names for three other key positions on the World Motor Sport Council.
However, out of the 29 candidates eligible for these roles, only one person represents South America – Brazil’s Fabiana Ecclestone, the wife of former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone. She currently serves as the vice-president for sport in South America and has already been named as part of Ben Sulayem’s team for his bid for another term.
Three individuals have declared their intention to challenge Ben Sulayem, 63, in the upcoming December election. Former F1 steward Tim Mayer, 59, was the first to announce his candidacy earlier this year, followed by Swiss racer Laura Villars, 28, and Belgian ex-journalist and reality TV star Virginie Philippot, 33.
However, if they fail to compile a complete presidential list by October 24, they will not appear on the ballot paper and Ben Sulayem will run unopposed. One of the candidates, Villars, has clarified that her campaign is still ongoing and did not dismiss the possibility of legal action over the situation.
She said: “Formal exchanges are currently ongoing between my legal team and the FIA administration, as the current electoral procedure raises legitimate concerns of conformity with the FIA statutes. Independent legal opinions obtained by my team also confirm that several recent procedural changes are inconsistent with the statutes and must be corrected.
“In accordance with Article 1.3 of the FIA statutes, the federation must uphold the highest standards of governance, transparency and democracy. All options – including legal and judicial ones – therefore remain under consideration to ensure that these principles are fully respected, in line with the FIA’s status as a French law non-profit association.
“As candidates, we share a collective responsibility to ensure that the FIA remains a beacon of transparency and democracy – principles that are the foundation of its legitimacy and global credibility.
“Our campaign continues with determination and in full respect of institutional dialogue. We remain confident that a fair and transparent outcome will prevail, and that all candidates committed to the FIA’s values will have the opportunity to compete on equal grounds.”
When contacted for comment, a spokesperson stated that FIA staff “are bound by a strict principle of neutrality under the election guidelines and are therefore unable to comment”. Details regarding the process and procedures for the presidential election have been openly accessible on the FIA website since the application window opened.
Currently, with Fabiana Ecclestone’s backing solidly behind Ben Sulayem, the Emirati former rally driver appears to have a clear route towards re-election. The FIA general assembly is scheduled to convene in Uzbekistan in December, where the incumbent seems poised to be inaugurated for another four-year term at the helm of motorsport’s governing body.
