FIA: a tense re-election for Mohammed Ben Sulayem
With the FIA presidential election looming at the end of the year, Mohammed Ben Sulayem seems determined to run for a second term. Supported by over thirty automobile clubs, he is nevertheless facing a growing backlash, led in particular by the Austrian automobile club. In the background: suspicions of authoritarian drift and a crisis of governance.
A massive but organized support. President of the International Automobile Federation since 2021, Mohammed Ben Sulayem has recently received formal and orchestrated support from 36 member clubs, including the one led by Fabiana Ecclestone, wife of former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone. In an open letter, these clubs praised his actions: "Without the bold decisions made from day one, the very future of the FIA would have been in jeopardy," they write.
They congratulate themselves on the turnaround achieved in less than four years, mentioning the implementation of professional management systems, a more direct relationship with members, and the desire to restore the FIA's image on the world stage. In short: for this support block, Ben Sulayem has modernized a structure deemed too slow, too rigid, and sometimes disconnected from its members.
The signatories therefore encourage the president to run again, believing that four years is too short a time to successfully carry out the reforms initiated.
Discordant voices within the FIA itself
But this unanimous momentum is only apparent. The ÖAMTC (the Austrian automobile club) has sent a letter to the World Council for Mobility and Tourism in which it denounces dysfunctional governance.
The damage to the FIA's credibility has already occurred due to repeated governance errors, lament the Austrians. The criticism is not limited to isolated blunders: it targets what they consider to be a structurally locked system, in which discussion and debate have disappeared. The ÖAMTC even goes so far as to speak of a failing mode of governance and a threat to the FIA's international reputation.
Among their most acute fears: certain recent amendments to the statutes, perceived as tailor-made to strengthen the power of the outgoing president.
« Where there is a risk that these changes seem to serve the current administration rather than the FIA itself, they must not be adopted. »
A presidency marked by controversies
Since taking over as head of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem has had to contend with a series of controversies. His direct style, sometimes contentious relationship with F1, and his positions on certain figures within the paddock have regularly fueled criticism. Several decisions made without broader consultation — particularly regarding regulations or internal functioning — have crystallized tensions.
« In each example, the changes are presented as necessary for the common good, while the opponents are depicted as enemies of progress », summarizes the ÖAMTC.
The problem, according to his critics, lies not so much in the intentions as in the methods: excessive centralization of power, overly vertical management, and a weakening of checks and balances.
A fracture that weakens the institution
The Austrian opposition also warns of the long-term risks. For them, the FIA is now seen as a weak organization in its decision-making, prone to repeated errors, and could lose the trust of its partners: states, sponsors, constructors, and even legal authorities. This loss of legitimacy could have major consequences in the long run on the organization's ability to regulate global motorsport.
Ben Sulayem nevertheless retains a solid base of support and seems determined to continue his work. It remains to be seen whether these tensions will ease by the Annual General Meeting or if the upcoming campaign will deepen the divisions.
