The FIA has quietly confirmed that Mohammed ben Sulayem will face no opposition in December's vote for the presidency.

No fanfare, not even a press release or a tweet, merely an additional pdf on the governing body's website detailing the list of eligible presidents, the position of 'President of the FIA' featuring just one name, Mohammed ben Sulayem of the United Arab Emirates.

Carlos Sainz Snr never officially entered the race, while Tim Mayer withdrew claiming that it was fixed. Virginie Philipott was never taken seriously, while, to her credit, Laura Villars is legally challenging the entire process.

Ironically, it was a familiar name to F1 fans that was to be the sticking point, Ecclestone, though in this case Fabiana, not Bernie.

The convoluted process, much of which has been put in place during Ben Sulayem's first term, demands that any presidential hopeful must have ten named officials on board, including seven vice presidents for sport representing various parts of the world, North America, South America, Asia-Pacific, Africa, Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and two from Europe.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, when the FIA published its list of eligible WMSC candidates there was only one figure from South America, Brazil's Fabiana Ecclestone, who just happens to be part of Ben Sulayem's team. Game over.

While, despite the sport's governing body's insistence that there has been total transparency from the outset, Mayer has raised his complaint with the FIA's ethics committee, while Villars is proceeding with her legal challenge to the process.

A judicial hearing took place in Paris this week with the judge saying that a ruling will be made on 3 December, just over a week ahead of the election on 12 December in Uzbekistan. While it is widely thought that the challenge will not succeed, the election could be suspended.

Presidential candidates are monitored by the FIA's nominations committee and if there are any issues the matter is referred to the FIA's ethics committee. However, following controversial changes made last year, both committees are now controlled by Ben Sulayem and his 'inner circle'.

As we are seeing in various parts of the world at present there is democracy and then there is 'democracy'.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Editor, 2 hours ago

"@ Ricardo_sanchez

We forgot to add - but will do so now - that presidential candidates are monitored by the FIA's nominations committee and if there are any issues the matter is referred to the FIA's ethics committee. However, following controversial changes made last year, both committees are now controlled by Ben Sulayem and his 'inner circle'."

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2. Posted by KKK, 2 hours ago

"Someone needs to bring this guy down. Who does he think he is? He doesnt own F1. Itshould be an open election. He can't choose who his opponent is"

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3. Posted by Ricardo_sanchez, 2 hours ago

"Assuming I have understood how this works, having a single individual with an absolute veto over who can run for President is astonishing. It seems no rival can mount a challenge without Fabiana Ecclestone agreeing, so the election is over before it starts.

Whatever one thinks of Ben Sulayem, giving one regional official the power to block every other potential candidate is indefensible in a body that claims to be democratic. Laura Villars is right to challenge it in court."

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Ben Sulayem heads into FIA presidency election unopposed

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