FIA Presidential Election to Proceed Despite Court Trial Order

A Paris court has ruled that Laura Villars' legal challenge against the FIA will proceed to a full trial, but crucially, it will not prevent next week's presidential election from taking place. This decision allows incumbent Mohammed Ben Sulayem to potentially secure another term, even as the legitimacy of the election process is questioned.

Why it matters:

Laura Villars, a presidential candidate, filed a lawsuit against the FIA in October, arguing that the existing rules effectively barred anyone but the incumbent, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, from running. The court's decision to allow the election to proceed while simultaneously scheduling a trial for 2026 creates an unusual scenario where the outcome of the election could later be annulled, casting a shadow of uncertainty over the FIA's leadership and governance.

The details:

• Villars' lawsuit challenged the requirement that each contender assemble a team of seven vice-presidents from the FIA's six global regions.
• The controversy arose because the only eligible vice-president from South America, Fabiana Ecclestone, pledged her support to Ben Sulayem, effectively blocking other candidates.
• This forced all three challengers – Villars, Tim Mayer, and Virginie Philippot – to withdraw their bids, leaving Ben Sulayem as the sole candidate.
• During an initial fast-tracked référé hearing on November 10, Villars and her lawyer, Robin Binsard, highlighted concerns regarding the inability to present an alternate bid, the unprecedented situation of having only one eligible candidate from South America, and issues with the nominating committee's transparency and electoral procedures' compliance with democratic principles.
• The Tribunal judiciaire de Paris ruled on Wednesday that a full trial is necessary to debate these themes, but this trial will not commence until February 16, 2026.
• Consequently, the presidential election will go ahead as planned on December 12 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

What's next:

While Mohammed Ben Sulayem's election is set to proceed, its long-term validity remains in question. If the 2026 trial's outcome is unfavorable to the FIA, Ben Sulayem's impending election could potentially be annulled. This legal challenge, therefore, sets the stage for a period of potential instability within the FIA's top leadership, even if the immediate election results stand. Tim Mayer's FIA Forward campaign called the initial ruling a "reasonable and expected response" given the case's complexity and the incomplete evidence presented in the fast-tracked hearing, suggesting the challengers remain confident in their legal position.