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Ben Sulayem Reelected FIA President Unopposed After Ballot Rules Dispute

A Paris court has set a February 16, 2026 hearing on a challenge to the eligibility rules that kept rivals off the ballot.

Overview

  • Delegates at the FIA General Assembly in Tashkent approved a new four-year term that runs through 2029.
  • The election required each slate to name regional vice presidents from an FIA-approved list, and the only South American listed, Fabiana Ecclestone, joined Ben Sulayem's team.
  • Would-be contenders Laura Villars and Tim Mayer were ruled ineligible under those rules, and Villars filed legal action in Paris seeking judicial review.
  • A judge let Friday's vote proceed but referred the dispute to trial, with the first hearing set for February 16, 2026, leaving the result open to later court scrutiny.
  • The FIA defended Ben Sulayem's leadership and improved finances, as critics cited clashes with drivers and the resignation of vice president Robert Reid over governance concerns.