LAURA VILLARS Takes FIA to Court Over ‘Rigged’ Presidential Election Rules

October 29, 2025

• Swiss-French racer LAURA VILLARS is taking the FIA to court in Paris after being systematically blocked from challenging Mohammed Ben Sulayem for the FIA presidency. Despite announcing her candidacy in September, the 28-year-old couldn’t assemble the required slate of vice-presidents because the system is designed to make competition impossible – there’s literally only one South American on the official list, and she’s already on Ben Sulayem’s team.
• VILLARS isn’t backing down from this rigged game, with her legal team securing a November 10 hearing before an emergency judge in Paris. Her lawyer Robin Binsard called out the “serious democratic failings within the FIA” and multiple violations of the organization’s own statutes. This isn’t just about one election – it’s about exposing how the FIA has created what former F1 steward Tim Mayer calls “the illusion of democracy.”
• The systemic problem runs deeper than just VILLARS’ candidacy – the setup ensures that in South America only one person could stand for the World Motorsport Council, and in Africa only two, all directly tied to the incumbent. VILLARS made it clear she’s not attacking the FIA but protecting it, stating “Democracy is not a threat to the FIA; it is its strength.” Meanwhile, the FIA is hiding behind procedure talk, claiming everything is “structured and democratic” while refusing to comment on the legal challenge.

ABB FIA Formula E, fia presidential election, international automobile federation, motorsport governance