The FIA presidential election 2025 continues to gather momentum as two female candidates, Laura Villars and Virginie Philippot, step forward with ambitious visions for motorsport’s future.
Their entries into the race ensure that the contest will be one of the most diverse in FIA history, with Mohammed Ben Sulayem seeking re-election and Tim Mayer also in the running.
Villars: “I want to refresh a bit this FIA motorsport world”
Swiss sports car driver Laura Villars, 28, confirmed that she had prepared her candidacy months in advance with a strong support team. “I decided a few months ago [to run], already with a big team behind me, because I want to refresh a bit this FIA motorsport world,” she said.
Villars stressed that her campaign was not about gender but about a new vision. “I want to show how I have a new vision and it’s not about a matter of gender. I know my candidacy is quite unusual, but today it will be like a big normal for tomorrow,” she explained.
Her experience competing across Europe and the Middle East shaped her outlook. “I’ve raced in Europe, Middle East and I totally understand the realities that drivers and clubs face. So, this is a perspective that for me is very valuable and I really want to govern for everyone and go for it and decided to go with my team a few months ago already in this candidacy.”
Transparency and inclusion at the core
Villars emphasized transparency as a key policy. “So, for me, what obsessed me in this candidacy is to share all what I had in my experience as a racing driver and I want to show and give to the clubs more transparency.”
She described herself as very different from rivals Ben Sulayem and Mayer. “I don’t want to compare myself with anyone. I’m very different. I come with a future and new vision, a young vision and I don’t want to talk about other candidates.”
Villars added: “So, my vision is my vision. I want to go further on transparency, help young people to go in motorsport. Also, motorsport is not only this in the FIA. We have all the systems around the tourist mobility, which is also very important and we need to take care about.”
Building support among FIA clubs
Villars confirmed she has already engaged with FIA clubs. “Yes, I think to ask all the advice to the members is very important to share and have a lot of talking about it and putting them and face them. It’s very important. Yes, so for now I talk with a few clubs that I’m not able to share it now because I didn’t put it on my list yet.”
She downplayed the importance of constant F1 paddock appearances. “Not especially F1 paddock only, because FIA is around the globality, mobility, tourism. I will say it’s more globally older people that are very experienced. It’s a very big team around me and I’m happy to represent that team.”
Villars said she will reveal her full programme soon. “I’m going to do it step by step. So, in the next week, I will present all my programme. Then when I will have on it the programme, we will go more on the list to show all the clubs and then the list will be before the 24th of October.”
Although still an active driver, Villars committed herself to the election. “For the end of the year, I will say I’m fully focused on this. So, racing, driving is something that I still want to do in my career. It’s very important, but now I make the decision to go under it and I will give all the best and myself for this presidency.”
She also highlighted female empowerment. “I think it’s a very good point that we have. And I think we need, as women, to still continue and to go further on breaking barriers. So, this is part of my programme.”
Villars concluded: “For now, the most important for me will be to develop my programme that is going to be online in the next weeks. Then to have all the support of clubs and then to have my official candidacy before 24 October.”
Philippot: “The race for the future starts now”
Belgian journalist Virginie Philippot, 33, also announced her candidacy for the FIA Presidential Election 2025, presenting a bold and inclusive message. She declared: “I’m running for the presidency of the FIA. Not to be the « first » But to make sure I’m not the last.”
Philippot added: “I believe motorsport should reflect the real world, bold, diverse, and united.”
Outlining her mission further, she said: “As a woman with a global vision and deep roots, I’m here to open doors that have stayed closed for too long.”
She closed her statement with a rallying call: “Let’s build a FIA that’s truly inclusive for every voice, every story, every passion. The race for the future starts now.”
A diverse and competitive race
With Ben Sulayem seeking a second term, Mayer promising reform, and now Villars and Philippot presenting fresh visions, the FIA presidential election 2025 is shaping into the most competitive and diverse contest in the organization’s history.
