Ben Sulayem sole presidential candidate - FIA
No rival candidates appear anywhere in the table
The FIA has formally confirmed that Mohammed Ben Sulayem will stand unopposed in next month’s presidential election - cementing one of the most controversial governance sagas in years.
A newly published FIA document titled "FIA 2025 Elections - List of eligible Presidential List(s)" shows only one approved slate - the full presidential list of Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
No rival candidates appear anywhere in the table.
The FIA document shows that the only validated presidential list is the one headed by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, with all positions already filled.
The confirmation follows weeks of controversy surrounding the federation’s updated eligibility rules - especially the requirement for regional endorsements, which resulted in every opposing candidate being locked out.
Fabiana Ecclestone, South America’s FIA Vice-President for Sport, is the only eligible candidate from that region listed for the World Motor Sport Council. Because the South America slot must be filled and she had already aligned with Ben Sulayem’s slate, the window was effectively closed for any rival to submit a valid presidential list.
Ben Sulayem’s Swiss challenger Laura Villars’ legal action remains on track in Paris. She is seeking to suspend the 12 December election, arguing that the rules unlawfully prevent opposition candidates from standing. The court is expected to deliver its decision on 3 December.
Unless the French courts intervene, Ben Sulayem is now effectively guaranteed a second term.