French court delivers verdict into FIA presidency challenge

A judicial court in Paris has delivered the verdict that former FIA presidential candidate Laura Villars legal challenge against motorsport's governing body 'must be examined by the judges hearing the case on the merits, who alone have the authority to assess the legality of the electoral process.'

In doing so, it has been delayed to a hearing on the merits for 16 February 2026, with the FIA presidential election to take place as scheduled on December 12 2025 in Uzbekistan.

Villars, who announced her candidacy earlier this year, was forced to drop out of the election process ahead of December's vote in Tashkent after a quirk of the rules meant she, and fellow candidates Tim Mayer and Virginie Philipott had to withdraw. 

Under the current rules, each candidate for president must present a list of their prospective vice-presidents for sport, to be drawn from the FIA's global regions, and a list of candidates eligible to sit on the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC).

Each candidate can only be named on the list of one candidate, which is not normally an issue owing to a number of qualified persons from each region, but for the 2025 election, from the South American region, only one candidate declared.

Fabiana Ecclestone confirmed she would serve under Mohammed Ben Sulayem, meaning no other candidate could match the requirements, effectively meaning Ben Sulayem would be returned unopposed to a second four-year term of office.

Villars's court action was seeking to "order the suspension of the FIA presidential election, which is due to be held on 12th December."

Following the judge's verdict, Villars's lawyer, Robin Binsard, said: "The urgent applications judge held that this dispute must be heard on the merits, and we will therefore continue this litigation against the FIA before the judges sitting on the merits. A first hearing is scheduled for 16 February 2026."