2025, the year women ran for FIA President.

In December 2025, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) will once again gather its General Assembly to elect a president. While the position itself is highly influential, this year’s election offers something far more significant than the usual political manoeuvring. For the first time, women are standing as candidates for the presidency, and their presence marks a turning point in motorsport’s governance.

For decades, the FIA has been steered by men, typically with backgrounds rooted in elite racing, national motoring clubs, or deep institutional ties. Female leadership at this level has been absent. That is changing.

Visibility and accountability in motorsport leadership

Women putting themselves forward for the presidency of the FIA expands the perception of who belongs in the upper echelons of motorsport. Their candidacy introduces new priorities, fresh perspectives, and different approaches to leadership, at a time when the FIA is under scrutiny for how it manages diversity, governance, and internal culture.

Historically, motorsport governance has lacked a clear path for individuals outside entrenched networks. The inclusion of women in this presidential race exposes the shortcomings of that system. It also brings long-standing issues, such as gender equity, youth development, sustainability, and inclusive decision-making, to the centre of the conversation.

Women in leadership also help shift the organisational culture from one that protects legacy interests to one that can better reflect the complexity of the global motorsport community. 

The candidates: Laura Villars and Virginie Philippot

In September 2025, Swiss racing driver Laura Villars became the first woman to declare her candidacy for FIA President. At just 28, Villars already has experience competing in the Ferrari Challenge Europe, F4 UAE, and the Ligier European Series. Her campaign centres on transparency, modern governance, and stronger representation for women and young people in motorsport. She has proposed the creation of a Young Leaders Academy, the expansion of the Women in Motorsport programme, and an “Eco-Performance” label to encourage sustainable practices in racing.

A month later, Virginie Philippot, a Belgian journalist and entrepreneur, also announced her intention to run. With a background in motorsport media and advocacy, she has focused her message on inclusion, democratic reform, and opening access to leadership roles. While Philippot may be a less conventional candidate, her presence reinforces the need for broader representation in FIA leadership.

Their campaigns offer two distinct models of leadership, but both point towards a federation that is more representative, more transparent, and more connected to the needs of its global community.

A look at women in FIA leadership

While no woman has held the FIA presidency, several have taken on significant roles within the organisation in recent years.

Deborah Mayer, a French businesswoman and former racing driver, currently leads the FIA’s Women in Motorsport Commission. She succeeded rally legend Michèle Mouton, who held the role for more than a decade and was instrumental in establishing the commission’s presence and impact.

Alicia Crighton, a financial executive, became the first female Chair of the FIA’s Board of Directors in 2023. And in 2022, the FIA appointed Natalie Robyn as its first-ever CEO. Robyn’s appointment was hailed as a step towards professionalising the FIA’s operations, although she departed in 2024 after just 18 months in the role.

Despite these advances, many of these women have faced limited institutional support. Some roles were removed or restructured soon after being established. For example, the FIA eliminated the position of Head of Sustainability, Diversity and Inclusion in 2024, prompting the resignation of Sara Mariani, who had held the post.

Structural challenges remain

Standing for the FIA presidency is not a straightforward process. Candidates must present a complete leadership slate, including vice-presidents from each global region, and many of these regional positions are filled through internal mechanisms that favour continuity over competition.

This barrier became especially clear when American candidate Tim Mayer withdrew from the 2025 race, stating that the nomination rules made it virtually impossible for new entrants to gather a full and compliant list. In some regions, only one eligible individual exists for a role, making competitive elections functionally unfeasible.

This system may ensure administrative stability, but it discourages reform and severely limits who can run. For candidates like Villars and Philippot, navigating this structure is an even greater part of the challenge. Their participation reveals just how closed off the FIA presidency has been and how urgent reform may be. 

The bigger picture

All those watching know that unfortunately it's a slim chance for either woman to be elected, but their presence in the race challenges the status quo. They bring new priorities to the fore and hold other candidates to account. Their campaigns also raise the bar for what FIA leadership should look like in 2025: responsive, transparent, and inclusive.

When a woman does take leadership of the FIA, those are the principles by which we hope their contributions will be judged. In one of our previous articles, we looked at the concept of the Glass Cliff - the phenomenon of women taking leadership positions during moments of significant change or challenge, and how they’re balmed when things don’t succeed. With regulation changes coming, this initial wave in 2025; of normalising women on the ballot, should pave the wave to a woman who doesn’t have to face the Glass Cliff.

These women also represent a growing wave of talent, energy, and credibility that has been building within motorsport for years. From grassroots karting to corporate boardrooms, women are increasingly shaping the future of racing. Seeing them on the presidential ballot affirms that leadership is not reserved for a select few.

The 2025 FIA election is a leadership contest, but it ripples beyond that. It is a litmus test for how open the federation truly is to change, to women's ideas, and to a future that reflects the full diversity of the motorsport world. Whether or not the presidency changes hands, the very act of running changes the conversation and that matters.