FIA Presidential Race Shakes Up with Unexpected Third Candidate

Laura Villars enters the FIA presidential race as the third candidate, the first woman to run. The vote occurs December 12, 2025, in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

She joins incumbent Mohamed Ben Sulayem and former steward Tim Mayer in a three-way contest. At 28, she combines racing and entrepreneurial experience.

Villars currently competes in the Ligier European Series, driving a JS P4 prototype. Her résumé includes outings in Formula 3 and Formula 4-based single-seaters.

Her platform centres on modernising FIA governance and inclusion. She proposes regular consultations with member clubs and license holders to embed participatory decision-making.

Transparency features heavily, with commitments to clearer financial reporting and timely publication of key decisions. She also outlines an FIA Eco-Performance label to recognise sustainability progress.

Development pathways are another pillar. Villars plans to strengthen Girls on Track and mentoring, and launch a FIA Young Leaders Academy to cultivate future administrators and engineers.

She positions the FIA as a reference for sustainable mobility and road safety, aligning sporting oversight with public-interest mandates. The plan dovetails with evolving compliance requirements in auto racing worldwide.

The stance contrasts with rivals by foregrounding inclusiveness and environmental metrics, while promising continuity in sporting governance. How convincingly she balances both will shape voting intentions.

With the federation navigating regulatory change and commercial headwinds, the presidency carries strategic weight for promoters and clubs. The contest also reflects broader industry trends shaping governance.

Member clubs will evaluate experience, governance credibility, and implementation detail in the coming months. Consensus-building across regions remains pivotal in any successful bid.

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Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.