FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been officially re-elected, following the formality of a vote at the governing body’s General Assembles in Uzbekistan on Friday.
Ben Sulayem was the only candidate eligible to stand for this year’s election, after hopefuls Tim Mayer and Laura Villars were unable to fulfil the requirement to supply a presidential list of team members that would stand alongside them.
This was because of requirements for members of their World Motor Sport Council to come from specific regions – and no options were available from South America because the only eligible candidate, Fabiana Ecclestone, was already part of Ben Sulayem’s team.
Villars has launched legal action in France over the matter and, while a judge said earlier this month that Friday’s election could go ahead, a further hearing has been scheduled for February to hear her complaints about the election process.
That next step will examine in detail the election process, and see if Villars’ complaints about the FIA's rules are enough to potentially review, challenge or annul the election.
However, the FIA has robustly defended itself against allegations of a lack of transparency or there being an undemocratic processes.
A statement issued on Friday detailing Ben Sulayem winning a second term, said: “The election was conducted in line with the FIA’s statutes through a robust and transparent voting process, reflecting the democratic foundations of the federation and the collective voice of its global membership.
In the meantime, the election has gone ahead with Ben Sulayem getting a mandate from clubs for a second four-year term.
Speaking after his success, he said: “Thank you to all our FIA Members for voting in remarkable numbers and placing your trust in me once again. We have overcome many obstacles but here today, together, we are stronger than ever.
“It is truly an honour to be FIA President, and I am committed to continuing to deliver for the FIA, for motorsport, for mobility, and for our member clubs in every region around the world.”
One of Ben Sulayem’s original election mandates was to reverse the FIA’s difficult financial situation, having taken over the governing body following a Covid pandemic-triggered 24 million Euro loss in 2021.
Last year, the FIA delivered a €4.7 million profit, while Ben Sulayem announced on Friday that the forecast for 2025 was €4.4 million profit.
He has also pushed hard to ramp up investment in member clubs and increase participation in grassroots motorsport.
