Today, Monday, February 16, 2026, there is a significant initial court hearing in Paris regarding a legal challenge against the FIA's presidential election process.
The case centers on what has been called the "impossible" or "anti-competitive" entry requirements that effectively blocked any candidate from running against the incumbent, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, in the most recent election cycle.
The Core Of The Dispute
legal action, spearheaded by Swiss racing driver and presidential hopeful Laura Villars, alleges that the FIA's statutes were manipulated to create a "lock" on the presidency. Specifically:
The case centers on what has been called the "impossible" or "anti-competitive" entry requirements that effectively blocked any candidate from running against the incumbent, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, in the most recent election cycle.
The Core Of The Dispute
legal action, spearheaded by Swiss racing driver and presidential hopeful Laura Villars, alleges that the FIA's statutes were manipulated to create a "lock" on the presidency. Specifically:
- The "South American Requirement": To run for President, a candidate must present a full "ticket" that includes seven Vice-Presidents for Sport, each representing a specific global region.
- The Bottleneck: The list of eligible candidates for the South American Vice-Presidency was narrowed down until only one person was eligible: Fabiana Ecclestone (wife of Bernie Ecclestone). Since she was already on Ben Sulayem’s ticket, no other challenger could legally complete their mandatory list of vice-presidents.
- The Claim: Villars and other critics, including former FIA senior steward Tim Mayer, argue this is a breach of the FIA’s own commitment to "the highest standards of governance, transparency, and democracy."
Today’s Hearing
The hearing today at the Judicial Court of Paris (Tribunal Judiciaire de Paris) is an escalation of the "Référé" (expedited) procedure Villars filed late last year.
- Objective: The plaintiffs are seeking a formal ruling to declare the entry criteria invalid or anti-competitive under French law (since the FIA is headquartered in Paris).
- Potential Outcome: If the court finds the rules were designed to unfairly prevent competition, it could order a restructuring of the FIA's electoral statutes or even force a re-run of the election under revised, more accessible criteria.
