Mohammed Ben Sulayem will preside over world motorsport for a further four years
Photography by FIA / Lia Mancini / DPPI
Words by Luke Barry
Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been re-elected as FIA president.
Ben Sulayem, a 14-time Middle East Rally champion, enters his second four-year term as president after succeeding Jean Todt in 2021.
M-Sport founder Malcolm Wilson remains his deputy president for sport.
Ben Sulayem said: “Thank you to all our FIA Members for voting in remarkable numbers and placing your trust in me once again. We have overcome many obstacles but here today, together, we are stronger than ever.
“It is truly an honor to be FIA President, and I am committed to continuing to deliver for the FIA, for motorsport, for mobility, and for our Member Clubs in every region around the world.”
Double World Rally champion Carlos Sainz had considered running against the president, but more serious campaigns came from Tim Mayer, Laura Villars and Virginie Philpott.
Each FIA presidential candidate is required to submit a list of their prospective vice presidents for sport, which have to come from each of the FIA’s six global regions. However there was only one South American on the official list – Fabiana Ecclestone – who was already on Ben Sulayem’s team, meaning nobody else could enter the election against Ben Sulayem.
Villars took legal action to challenge the FIA’s process and suspend the election, but it took place as planned on Friday December 12 in Uzbekistan.
In its announcement of Ben Sulayem’s success, the FIA said the election “was conducted in line with the FIA’s statutes through a robust and transparent voting process, reflecting the democratic foundations of the federation and the collective voice of its global membership”.
Words:Luke Barry
Tags: FIA, FIA president, Mohammed ben Sulayem, WRC
Publish Date December 12, 2025 DirtFish 
https://dirtfish-editorial.s3-accelerate.amazonaws.com/2025/12/i94N2ccf-52554907263_17818bb8e6_o-780x520.jpg December 12, 2025
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