The FIA has officially announced that Mohammed ben Sulayem has been re-elected for a second term as the president of the motorsport governing body. This was expected as the election rules restricted any other candidates from running against him.
Ben Sulayem emerged as the sole candidate, despite three others expressing their intent to compete for the position. He garnered 91.5% of the vote during the election at the FIA General Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, receiving a standing ovation from attendees.
The validity of the election process remains uncertain, with a scheduled hearing in mid-February to evaluate the situation. Laura Villars had sought legal action in French courts to challenge the process, along with Tim Mayer and Virginie Philippot, who also aimed to contest against Ben Sulayem.
According to FIA election regulations, each candidate needed to propose vice-presidents from all FIA global motorsport regions, but a shortage of eligible nominations hindered the challengers from being included on the ballot. This led to criticism from Mayer, who referred to the process as an “illusion of democracy.”
Villars escalated the situation by initiating legal proceedings in France, with a hearing set for February 16 to potentially review or annul the election’s validity. Despite these challenges, the FIA affirmed its focus on upcoming General Assemblies and crucial discussions with member clubs worldwide.
Following the election, the FIA confirmed via social media that Ben Sulayem had been re-elected by a majority of the General Assembly. He is now set to serve another four-year term as the president, overseeing the Formula 1 World Championship and other elite motorsport series.
Ben Sulayem first assumed office in 2021, winning against Graham Stoker in the previous election. He succeeded Jean Todt, the former Ferrari team principal, who led the organization for 12 years before opting not to seek a fourth term.
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