Another candidate for the FIA presidency has appeared.

      "I’m unsure whether this is a cultural conflict."

      Another candidate has come forward as a possible challenger to the controversial FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem in the upcoming elections. Previously, amid visible unrest and notable resignations within Formula 1's governing body, there were rumors suggesting that Susie Wolff might compete against the incumbent. Her husband, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, only gave a lukewarm denial, stating, "Not that I know of," when asked if his wife was considering a candidacy.

      However, Red Bull’s Dr. Helmut Marko asserted that it is "impossible" for Susie to assume the role of FIA president while her husband runs and co-owns a Formula 1 team. Regardless, Ben Sulayem has become an unpopular president of the FIA. During his first appearance at a grand prix in 2025 in Bahrain, two significant incidents were recorded. One involved Lewis Hamilton turning down the Emirati’s offer of a hug, and another captured Luca di Montezemolo, attending his first race in a decade, giving Ben Sulayem a clear 'thumbs down' directly to his face.

      Finnish commentator Ossi Oikarinen remarked on Viaplay, "If I interpret that hand signal correctly, it didn’t seem very friendly." He added, "It appears that tensions are quite high at the FIA right now. I don’t think everything we are hearing is merely gossip."

      Furthermore, former F1 team principal and current Motorsport UK chair David Richards was denied entry to the World Motor Sport Council meeting in February for refusing to sign a confidentiality agreement. Just a few days ago, Richards continued to criticize the Ben Sulayem administration, claiming the governance processes are "becoming increasingly opaque and centralizing power solely in the president's hands."

      There are now emerging speculations that the Briton may run for FIA president later this year. Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher told Sky Deutschland, "World Motor Sport Council meetings are typically confidential, so I don’t believe that incident was just about that."

      "There have been numerous changes within the FIA," the German stated. "I’m not sure if this is a cultural struggle—are they genuinely attempting to dismantle outdated structures, or is Richards overstating the situation? Hopefully, this will all be clarified soon. With an upcoming election, I know David Richards is a favored candidate. Ben Sulayem likely wanted to eliminate him to avoid competing for the position."