Four candidates were originally in the running for the FIA presidency this year, including 28-year-old racing driver, Laura Villars. The Swiss candidate announced her bid in September, becoming the first woman to challenge incumbent president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, for motorsport’s top seat.
However, an election rule has effectively ruled out all candidates – bar Sulayem – even before the elections, which are set to take place on December 12th. Villars is taking steps and has filed legal action against motorsport’s governing body.
Laura Villars challenging the FIA’s election rules and Ben Sulayem’s presidency
From the beginning, the FIA presidential candidates, Laura Villars, Tim Mayer, and Virginie Philippot, were never really in contention against Ben Sulayem. All because of one little-known FIA rule:
Each presidential candidate’s list must include one regional representative from North America, South America, the Asia-Pacific region, Africa, the Middle East/North Africa, and two from Europe. Yet, of the 29 names submitted, only one member represents South America – Fabianna Ecclestone, current vice president on Sulayem’s presidential team.
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As regional representatives cannot appear on multiple slates, this rules out any presidential candidate without Ecclestone’s support. Hence, Villars’ legal action, which she assured BBC Sport, aims to protect democracy within the governing body:
“This step is neither hostile nor political. It is a responsible and constructive initiative to safeguard transparency, ethics, and pluralism within global motorsport governance. I am acting to protect [the FIA].”
Villars is expected to attend a mediation meeting between both parties, ahead of the court hearing on November 10th. A meeting in which she hopes there’s more room for “constructive dialogue on internal matters” such as internal democracy and transparent electoral rules.
Villars wants to reshape FIA governance
The Swiss racing driver’s campaign is built on the principles she’s now defending: transparent governance. Next to other objectives like accessibility, inclusion, and equal support for all clubs. Villars argues that while the FIA operates under codes and statutes, they remain “technical, opaque, and dependent on the executive.”
Tim Mayer Forced Out of FIA Presidency Race After Failing to Meet Specific Rule
If it rings a bell, it should. The very lack of transparency that Villars is campaigning against seems to be shaping the FIA’s presidential election. In Villars’ summons, she requests that the presidential elections on December 12th be suspended until a ruling is made. With the legal challenge, Villars might have a shot at ‘fairly’ running for the FIA presidency.
