The FIA has officially announced that Mohammed ben Sulayem has been re-elected for a second term as the president of the governing body for motorsport. Ben Sulayem was the only candidate in the election due to specific rules that restricted other contenders from participating.

During the FIA General Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Ben Sulayem received 91.5 percent of the vote and was applauded by the assembly members. However, the validity of the election process is still under scrutiny as a French court will review the matter in mid-February, following a legal challenge by Laura Villars.

Villars, along with Tim Mayer and Virginie Philippot, had expressed interest in challenging Ben Sulayem but failed to meet the necessary requirements, such as nominating vice-presidents from various global motorsport regions. This led to criticism from Mayer, who called the election process an “illusion of democracy.”

Villars took legal action in France, leading to a scheduled hearing in February to potentially review or annul the election. Despite these challenges, the FIA proceeded with the election, confirming Ben Sulayem’s re-election on December 12 at the General Assembly in Tashkent.

Ben Sulayem, who defeated Graham Stoker in the previous election in 2021, will now serve another term as the president of the FIA. He took over from Jean Todt, the former Ferrari team principal, who led the organization for 12 years before declining a fourth term. Sky has also enhanced its TV and sports bundle to include additional streaming services and comprehensive coverage of Formula 1 races.