French Court Rejects Bid to Delay FIA Presidential Election

A French court has dismissed an urgent application to postpone the upcoming FIA Presidential election, a move that solidifies Mohammed Ben Sulayem's path to an unopposed second term. Presidential candidate Laura Villars had sought to delay the December election, citing concerns over the nomination process.

Why it matters:

This ruling ensures the FIA Presidential election proceeds as planned, with Ben Sulayem set to be re-elected without opposition. The legal challenge highlighted underlying complexities and potential flaws within the FIA's election statutes, even if it failed to halt the immediate process. For the future of global motorsport governance, the broader questions raised about fair electoral opportunities could prompt future reforms.

The Details:

• The Challenge: Laura Villars, one of three challengers, filed an urgent application with the Paris Judicial Court, arguing that the nomination criteria effectively prevented candidates from fulfilling the requirements.
• Nomination Rules: FIA statutes require Presidential candidates to submit a 'List' – a cabinet of staff including a vice-president from each of the governing body's global regions. These vice-presidents must be selected from the pool of nominations for the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC).
• The Bottleneck: For the upcoming election, only Fabiana Ecclestone was nominated from South America for the WMSC, and she had already pledged her support to Mohammed Ben Sulayem. This left no other eligible WMSC candidates from the region for Villars, Tim Mayer, or Virginie Philippot to include on their lists, thus precluding their full nominations.
• Court's Decision: The French court ruled that the dispute did not warrant urgent attention. It stated that the matter should be referred to other judges for a ruling on the merits of the case.
• Future Hearing: Villars' lawyer, Me Robin Binsard, confirmed that a first hearing on the merits of the case is scheduled for February 16, 2026, suggesting a long legal battle ahead.

What's next:

With the urgent application denied, Mohammed Ben Sulayem will proceed to be elected unopposed at the FIA General Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in December, securing his second term as FIA President. While Villars' legal team suggests the election 'may be reviewed, challenged, or annulled by the court' in the long term, FIA sources dispute this claim. The most likely outcome of the February 2026 hearing is a recommendation for the FIA to review its statutes and election process, rather than an annulment of Ben Sulayem's re-election.