Mohammed Ben Sulayem has secured another term as FIA President after winning an uncontested election during the General Assembly meetings in Uzbekistan.
The vote, which took place ahead of tonight’s awards ceremony where Lando Norris will receive his 2025 world champion trophy, was largely a formality since Ben Sulayem ran unopposed.
This victory gives the Emirati leader and his presidential team control of motorsport’s governing body for the 2025-2029 term. He first took the FIA’s top job in 2021.
The assembly also elected new members for the World Motor Sport Council and the World Council for Automobile Mobility and Tourism.
“Thank you to all our FIA Members for voting in remarkable numbers and placing your trust in me once again,” Ben Sulayem said after the results were announced. “We have overcome many obstacles but here today, together, we are stronger than ever.”
“It’s truly an honor to be FIA President, and I’m committed to continuing to deliver for the FIA, for motorsport, for mobility, and for our Member Clubs in every region around the world.”
## How Ben Sulayem Won Without Competition
The path to Ben Sulayem’s victory was practically guaranteed months ago.
Back in early October 2025, potential challengers Tim Mayer and Laura Villars had expressed interest in running against him. But they never stood a chance thanks to the FIA’s tricky election rules.
That month, the FIA published its official list of 29 World Motor Sport Council members. This seemingly routine announcement actually created an impossible situation for any would-be challengers.
Here’s why it mattered so much:
FIA rules require each presidential candidate to present seven vice presidents representing specific global regions: two from Europe, one from Asia-Pacific, one from Middle East/North Africa, one from North America, one from South America, and one from Africa.
Miss even one of these positions, and your entire campaign is disqualified.
The killer detail? For the South American requirement, only one person qualified: Fabiana Ecclestone, wife of former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.
Ecclestone was already serving as a vice president under Ben Sulayem and remained loyal to him. This made it literally impossible for any challenger to fulfill the South American requirement.
Villars didn’t take this lying down. She filed a legal challenge hoping to postpone the elections and get clarity on this regulatory loophole.
While the French courts agreed to examine her case on its merits, they scheduled the hearing for February 16, 2026 – conveniently allowing the Uzbekistan elections to proceed as planned.
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