FIA presidential election to go ahead but could be overturned in February

FIA Presidential Election Set to Proceed Despite Legal Challenge, Potential for Reversal

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile's (FIA) presidential election is slated for December 12 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, following an October court ruling allowing the vote to proceed. However, a legal challenge by Swiss racing driver Laura Villars could potentially overturn the result.

Villars initially launched an action against the FIA, arguing that the organization's election process lacked transparency and "the illusion of democracy." Her lawyer claimed that the rules for presenting alternative candidates, particularly in regions such as South America, were unjustified. The challenge resulted in a press release stating that issues raised regarding the presidential election would be reviewed at an upcoming hearing on February 16, 2026.

In response to Villars' legal action, the FIA maintained its commitment to democratic principles and fairness throughout the electoral process. The decision to proceed with the election was confirmed by a Paris court in December, despite concerns over Villars' eligibility due to her failure to assemble a viable slate of regional representatives as stipulated by FIA regulations.

This move leaves only incumbent president Mohammed Ben Sulayem without an opponent for the election, ensuring that he will continue in office for another four-year term. The situation highlights ongoing tensions within the motorsport governing body regarding electoral procedures and representation for all global regions.

omg what a mess this is like isn't transparency supposed to be key in any org, especially one as big as FIA? cant believe they're moving forward with election despite all these issues... seems like Villars' challenge might just give them the push they need for real change, fingers crossed

I'm not sure how I feel about this whole thing... On one hand, it's cool to see people speaking up about transparency in elections, like Laura Villars is doing. But on the other hand, I kinda get why the FIA wants to move forward with the election - it's like they're trying to prove a point that democracy works just fine for them . And honestly, it's kind of weird that she didn't have enough support from her team to even try... Anyway, I guess this is all gonna play out in Feb 2026 and we'll see what happens

this is getting crazy... like what's with these lawyers always throwing wrenches into everything ... so the FIA gets to have its presidential election, but only because some chick in Switzerland complained about it? meanwhile, ben sulayem just gets to coast on through without anyone challenging him guess that's what happens when you're the incumbent... anyways, can't say I'm surprised by this development

Ugh I'm literally freaking out about this FIA thing rn I mean Laura Villars is like my spirit animal or something - she's always speaking truth to power, even if it means taking on a giant organization I feel her frustration about transparency and fairness, I've experienced that in my everyday life too Like, how can we expect true representation when the rules are all sketchy? I'm rooting for her to win this thing and bring some change to the FIA But honestly, it's kinda sad that Mohammed Ben Sulayem is going to be re-elected without anyone to challenge him Guess we'll just have to wait and see what Villars' next move is

omg this is crazy the fia's got a lot of nerve thinking they can just push through with an election like this when there are legit concerns about transparency and democracy lol what's next? some random guy showing up to vote and winning the whole thing? i think laura villars has a point here, it looks like the fia is trying to strong-arm its way into this election the fact that they're not taking her concerns seriously is just shady. and what's with the rule about regional reps? does the fia really think that's fair? anyway, i guess we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out on feb 16

idk why ppl gotta challenge the democratic process the FIA's got a chance 2 make it work & its not like they're hiding anything from Villars, the court r rulein in their favor already. anywayz, this is prob gonna affect the election outcome which means no challenger for Ben Sulayem might as well get used 2 him bing the president 4 another term, cant say ill be surprised. maybe it's time 4 some reforms tho?

I'm kinda surprised the FIA is pushing through with this election despite the legal challenge from Laura Villars. Like, what's up? Can't they see that it looks bad for them? The whole thing just smells fishy to me. They're talking about democracy and fairness, but the way things are set up, it's like they're gonna rig the whole thing in their favor . It's pretty concerning, especially considering how some regions in South America don't have an equal say in this whole process. That just doesn't sit well with me

omg what's going on with the FIA election lol i mean they're defo pushing thru w this whole thing but like laura villars is just so right to question it all the rules are kinda vague and they dont really care bout the people from south america its a big deal for them and their teams wanna see some real representation not just 2 dudes makin decisions for everyone

I don't usually comment but I'm kinda surprised that the FIA is pushing through with the election despite the legal challenge . Like, I get that they want to move forward with their presidential term, but at the same time, you gotta wonder if it's really fair for Villars to go through all this drama without a proper fight . And it's not like she was being unreasonable about the whole democracy thing – transparency and representation are important, you know? The fact that only Ben Sulayem has an opponent now is kinda concerning, but at the same time, it's also kind of weird that Villars' team didn't do more to support her case .

OMG, just what we needed to spice up the world of motorsports - more drama . Like, seriously though, who does Laura Villars think she is? Throwing shade at the FIA's election process without even having a clue about how it works? The rules are in place for a reason, girl .

Anyway, I guess it's kind of cool that Mohammed Ben Sulayem gets to coast into another term without any opposition. Just don't expect him to take his win lightly . And can we talk about the FIA's transparency level? I mean, if there are issues, why not address them sooner rather than later? It feels like they're just winging it and hoping for the best ️.

On a more serious note, though (just for a sec), it is kinda interesting to see the tension between the FIA's global regions. Like, do we really need that many different voting systems? Maybe it's time for some reform... but hey, what do I know ?

FIA's move is like taking a spin in reverse - makes you wonder if they even followed their own rules

lol what's going on with the FIA? they're still trying to figure out how to make their elections work out, but it seems like no matter what, someone's gonna challenge them about it. I mean Laura Villars is all right, I guess, but come on, can't she just chill for a sec? the thing that gets me is how this whole thing is going to affect Mohammed Ben Sulayem, like, does he really have no one to run against? it's kinda weird how elections are still being handled in 2025. shouldnt they be more chill with their tech and stuff by now?

Ugh I'm really worried about this whole thing . So basically the FIA is gonna keep going with its election plans despite a legal challenge from Laura Villars, but there's still a chance it could get overturned on Feb 16th? That's crazy! The fact that the president might just be able to take over without any opposition is pretty concerning...