Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been re-elected as FIA president after an election in which he was the only candidate. The 64-year-old Emirati won 91.51% of the vote at the FIA General Assembly in Tashkent, even though some eligible clubs still chose not to vote for him. He will now serve a second four-year term, ending in December 2029.
Two people, Tim Mayer and Laura Villars, wanted to run but couldn’t meet the FIA rules, which require every candidate to have a full slate of vice-presidents from all FIA regions. The only available candidate from South America, Fabiana Ecclestone, was already on Ben Sulayem’s team, leaving no one else able to stand. Villars is challenging the election in court in France, with a hearing set for 16 February.
The FIA is also dealing with a separate legal case from former F1 driver Felipe Massa over the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix ‘crashgate’ scandal.
Ben Sulayem’s first term included several controversies and disagreements, with critics saying he weakened some FIA governance bodies. But the FIA said he delivered “wide-ranging transformation”, stronger finances, better audit processes, and more modern governance.
Ben Sulayem said 2025 marked a major turning point for the FIA, including a financial turnaround, stronger world championships, and progress in safety and sustainability. He has also been appointed chairman of the FIA Foundation, although the FIA declined to comment on that role.
