FIA | Mohamed Ben Sulayem remains the only eligible candidate for FIA presidency, but the situation could still shift. The FIA confirms Mohamed Ben Sulayem as the only eligible candidate for the presidency.

The FIA has officially confirmed that Mohamed Ben Sulayem is the only eligible candidate in the elections to appoint the next president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile. The vote, scheduled for 12 December in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, now appears to be heading in a single direction, as the current FIA leader is the only figure who fully meets all the required criteria. With this verification phase completed, the Federation has stated that the Emirati official is the sole candidate considered fully eligible.

However, the situation is not completely settled and could still change at any moment. One of the main opposing figures is Laura Villars, a French-Swiss racing driver who was excluded over allegedly unmet requirements. Following her exclusion, she chose to file an appeal that will be formally reviewed. The FIA clarified that the definitive outcome of the electoral process will only be confirmed once this analysis is complete.

The appeal will be examined on 3 December, the date on which the Federation must rule on the legitimacy of the entire procedure. Only then will it be possible to officially confirm Ben Sulayem’s status as the sole candidate and move toward his proclamation. Until that moment, he remains the only figure considered eligible, but not yet the only definitive contender.

The situation has already sparked debate across the international motorsport community, where the FIA’s internal political dynamics are being closely scrutinized. The possibility of an election without challengers is raising questions about the openness and democratic nature of the nomination process, while the pending decision on Villars’ appeal could potentially reshape the balance and outlook of the race.

The decisive moment is therefore set for less than a month from now: a date that could either confirm the continuity of Mohamed Ben Sulayem’s leadership or completely reopen the electoral contest, possibly paving the way for a new figure at the head of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile.