Exclusive: Laura Villars reveals motivation behind FIA presidential campaign

FIA presidential candidate Laura Villars has revealed her motivations behind nominating for motorsport’s top job.

In an exclusive interview with PlanetF1.com, Villars opened up on why she feels compelled to run for the FIA presidency in December’s election, and provided insight into her platform.

Laura Villars is the first female to nominate for the FIA presidency

Villars announced her candidacy for the FIA presidency role on Thursday with a low-key statement across her social media channels, and a subsequent media release from her Villars Racing organisation.

In doing so, the 28-year-old became the first female in history to contend for the top office of global motorsport (and motoring).

Her announcement provided a glimpse into her aims should she be successful in the campaign, which is based on four priorities:

– Greater transparency and stronger governance at the FIA.
– Giving more voice and importance to member clubs, both from motorsport and from tourism.
– Supporting innovation and sustainability, linked to energy and technological transitions.
– Improving access to motorsport for young drivers by reducing social and financial barriers.

Speaking with PlanetF1.com, Villars stated that her full manifesto will be released in the near future as she explained her motives behind running for the FIA presidency.

“I’m a racing driver also, and I faced many things in the races and in the clubs,” she began.

“For me, it was very important to share how difficult it is sometimes for clubs. And I really wanted to become stronger as a woman.

“I think now it’s a good time to come with all that’s happening in motorsport, also with what Susie Wolff did with the F1 Academy.

“For me, it was really a good time to come, with my big team behind me. I’m not alone, and I want to offer my new vision, a new generation, that’s why I wanted to contend.”

Choosing only to make it public this week, Villars has been working on her candidacy for some time. In doing so, she outlined her priorities should she be successful.

“My priority, and in my future programme, will be women in motorsport,” she said. “And also all young drivers that don’t have money to go further.

“Sometimes I know that there were a lot of talented people, but they were not able to go further, and especially women. I’m a racing driver, so I faced a few barriers that a sponsor didn’t come to me because I was a woman; it was more difficult because they know that to go in Formula 1 is going to be so much harder.

“That’s why I think what Susie [Wolff] did is very good. It’s amazing, she’s breaking all the barriers.

“I really want to be more inspiring for the new generation, and be very transparent,” she added.

“This is mostly my programme.”

That will see efforts put into working with FIA member clubs and affording them a greater voice in decision-making, specifics of which are expected to be outlined in Villars’ forthcoming manifesto. Indeed, her full programme will be unveiled in the coming days, together with the clubs supporting her. When the time is right, her full List will also be announced, including the Senate president, deputy presidents, and vice presidents.

As a result, she was reserved when offering specifics, and unwilling to pick fault with how motorsport is currently being managed under Mohammed Ben Sulayem or where the opportunities for the FIA are.

“I’m not going to criticise what they were doing before,” she said. “The most important is to go more in the future and to go more with my new vision. I don’t want to talk so much about what they did in the past. I think the most important is the future.

“Motorsport is a very beautiful sport with competition, and competition is the most important. And that’s why I’m here, to still continue in my way of competing, and I’m going to compete for the FIA presidency.”

More on the FIA presidential election

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👉 Mohammed Ben Sulayem confirms run for re-election as FIA President

The Swiss-born racer and entrepreneur has competed in a host of categories ranging from entry-level Formula 4 to prototype style competitions in the Ligier European Series, where she currently competes.

It offers her first-hand experience into the sporting side of what the FIA does, which she suggests is complemented by the team she has supporting her, described as being composed of “very experienced and qualified people” when it comes to sport, governance, and international affairs.

“I cannot share everything, but the only thing I can say is that it’s older people who are on it for many years, and who have a lot of experience. It’s a very serious candidacy,” she insisted.

While Villars does not have the administrative experience in motorsport, her entrepreneurial professional life has equipped her with many of the skills necessary for a prospective president. Should also revisit her role as a competitor if elected, realising the FIA president is an all-encompassing position.

“I’m very serious,” she said of her candidacy when asked how the FIA presidency would fit alongside her existing workload and racing career. “I’m going to be full focus on this for the next three months. And for next year, we’ll see what I will do for my racing career.”

Nominating for the FIA presidency is a complicated process, with last Friday a key date. September 19 is the date on which nominations for the World Motorsport Council must be made, from which presidential candidates can draw their ‘List’ – essentially the cabinet who will support them through their term. The next critical date is October 24, the deadline for formal nominations for the FIA presidency to be submitted, as part of a completed List.

From there, provided the nomination meets eligibility criteria, it is submitted to the General Assembly for voting, which will take place in December.

Complicating matters is the requirement for representation from each region, though Villars states that she already has support from numerous clubs across both the motorsport and touring aspects of the FIA’s remit.

“Today was the most important day, which is the Motor Sports Council, and from today, I will decide my seven vice presidents,” she explained.

“For now, I have all the support from the clubs. I made it internally with my team for a few months, and for me, it’s a big day to decide who’s going to be the seven vice presidents. I still have until 24 October to apply my list, so I’m on time.”

Villars is the third candidate to have publicly announced their intent to run for motorsport’s top job, joining incumbent FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem and veteran American motorsport administrator Tim Mayer.

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