MBS Running A One-Man Race: FIA Election Rules Reveal Ben Sulayem As Only Presidential Candidate

How do you win a race? Simple. Be the best at what you do, or work until you become the best.

But FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem seems to have discovered a third, far more convenient route: eliminate

every opponent before the race even begins. Guaranteed victory. No photo finish required.

In a move that is already facing legal challenge, the FIA has declared Ben Sulayem the sole eligible candidate for the upcoming presidential election.

The reason? According to rival candidate Laura Villars, the governing body’s own rules have been engineered to ensure no one else can form a complete presidential team, leaving MBS uncontested.

A court hearing was held in Paris on Monday, with a ruling due December 3. The election remains scheduled for December 12 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, but that could change depending on the verdict.

The FIA’s Rules That Make Competition Impossible

To run for FIA president, a candidate must assemble a slate of seven vice presidents drawn from different regions, including exactly one from South America.

Here’s the catch: the FIA’s official list of eligible nominees includes only one person from South America — Fabiana Ecclestone, wife of former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone.

Ben Sulayem had already claimed her for his own team. And since candidates cannot share running mates, every other challenger was effectively wiped out before filing their paperwork.

It’s like requiring all participants to bring the same rare part to the race, and then letting only one person own it.

From Promised Reform to Open Dysfunction

When MBS took office in 2021, he sold himself as the reformer who would modernize the FIA with transparency and inclusivity. Instead, his presidency has been defined by turmoil, resignations, and public embarrassment.

Senior staff have exited in waves, decrying a toxic environment and erratic leadership. Former FIA steward Tim Mayer accused MBS of “pushing out staff who disagreed with him” and failing to deliver on the reforms he promised.

The pattern is unmistakable: dissent is silenced, governance is chaotic, and the FIA’s democratic process increasingly looks like a formality designed to rubber-stamp one man’s reign.

Right now, the federation’s electoral system resembles a race where only one driver is allowed a car, and the rest are told to walk.