Hot Take: The 2025 FIA Presidential Election is Rigged
Tick tock - Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s time as FIA president is up. At least, that’s what the Formula 1 fanbase was hoping would happen, but now it seems that the archaic rules have decided the next president before the election even started. Let’s discuss the corrupt situation the FIA election is facing right now, and the injustice that the other candidates are now facing.
When the candidacy for the position first began, there were 4 candidates: Laura Villars, Virginie Philippot, Tim Mayer, and incumbent president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. In September, Swiss racing driver and entrepreneur Laura Villars became the first woman in history to announce her candidacy for the position, confidently declaring her goals of “new programmes for young drivers and women drivers, talented people, because in my career I faced so many talented people that had to stop motorsports because they didn't have the money to continue." Villars is no rookie - she began her motorsport career at 14 years old and has raced across international sports car racing series, including F4 Saudi Arabia and Ferrari Challenge Europe. Most recently, she finished fifth in her first full-time Ultimate Cup Series F3R season, and she’s currently competing in Ligier European Series JS P4. On the other hand, Motorsport journalist, entrepreneur, and former model Virginie Philippot is more involved in the modeling and acting world than racing. While she has been a Miss Belgium pageant winner and frequent F1 brand ambassador, Philippot is also the founder of the Drive For Hope non-governmental organization, which focuses on supporting orphans & education in the Democratic Republic of Congo and partnering for urgent aid in the eastern part of the region. Philippot is especially passionate about the FIA presidency, and her belief is that "motorsport should reflect the real world, bold, diverse, and united. As a woman with a global vision and deep roots, I'm here to open doors that have stayed closed for too long." The absence of women in motorsport is felt far too often, and these strong and committed women would clearly be exceptional choices for the FIA presidency. However, the FIA’s rules make their presidency impossible - here’s why.
What a mess the FIA has gotten itself into! Photo courtesy of Scuderia Fans.
The deadline for every candidate to submit their official bid is October 24, and along with their bid each candidate must assemble a team that will serve on their ‘cabinet.’ Each candidate’s list needs 7 vice presidents from countries with motorsport councils across Europe, Africa, North America, South America and Asia/the Pacific islands. Each vice president can only be on one candidate’s roster, and this is where the issue lies - currently, there is only one representative from South America. Fabiana Ecclestone, the Brazilian wife of F1 icon Bernie Ecclestone, is Mohammed Ben Sulayem's current vice president representing South America. This means that none of the other candidates have access to a South American representative, none of the other candidates can create a full cabinet, and none of the other candidates can legally run for the position.
Yes, you read that right. The FIA’s rules are preventing any candidate besides Sulayem to run for the position and become the next president. However, they have stood their ground and declared that the election remains a "structured and democratic process" to ensure "fairness and integrity at every stage." This clearly contrasts with what is truly happening, but the FIA seems to be content with the rules and the guidelines for the upcoming election, happening on December 12 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan as part of the FIA’s General Assembly.
As of right now, there is no progress to be made as the FIA continues to endorse undemocratic methods and shut women leaders out of the motorsport space. My only hope is that they might change the laws for the next election and reevaluate their current practices. As always, thanks for reading.
Lights out and away we go,
Lucy xx
