FIA president facing shock challenge from historic female candidate

Swiss racing driver Laura Villars has become the first woman to run for FIA president, becoming the third candidate to declare.

Villars, 28, has joined incumbent president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and former F1 steward Tim Mayer in seeking the next term of office, with the election due to be held in December 2025 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. 

Born in August 1997, Villars has a wide range of racing experience in Formula 3 and Formula 4 series, and is currently competing in the Ligier European Series, an entry-level prototype machine. 

In the announcement of her candidacy, Villars wrote that: "The FIA must once again be the federation of clubs and license holders. 

"My ambition is a governance that is more democratic, more transparent, more responsible, and open to women and new generations.

"I strongly believe that motorsport needs diversity and innovation to keep inspiring younger generations worldwide."

Her manifesto included five points, including further enhancement of the Women in Motorsport programme.

• Empower clubs through regular consultations and participatory governance.
• Strengthen transparency in finance and decision-making.
• Introduce a "FIA Eco-Performance" label recognising sustainability leadership.
• Enhance the Women in Motorsport program (Girls on Track, mentoring) and establish a FIA Young Leaders Academy.
• Position the FIA as a global benchmark in sustainable mobility and road safety.

The FIA has confirmed to RacingNews365 that it has yet to receive an official candidacy application from Villers.