The FIA President, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, has recently made a move that gained widespread attention on social media for its long-term effects. According to a BBC report, the Emirati is looking to get rid of the three-term limit for his position. 

This change will be discussed at the upcoming FIA General Assembly, where it is likely to be passed. 

A spokesperson for the FIA told the BBC, “A proposal has been put forward to establish a consistent approach to tenure across all FIA bodies, similar to what currently exists for the world councils and the senate. The proposal is subject to approval by the World Councils and by the General Assembly. FIA bodies retain full authority to democratically elect officeholders."

This prompted many people to voice their opinions on X, including one particular user who likened this situation to a dictatorship, saying, “Imagine if he was president of a country, wonder what he will be like? He seems like a modern-day dictator.”

Another user labeled this as a corrupt move and even drew up a petition to remove Ben Sulayem as the FIA President. This made another user comment that he should be ashamed, citing the example of how Gianni Infantino did the "same" with FIFA.

Another user implied the Gulf countries want to control motorsports for as long as possible, and that this was a potential way of doing so, saying, “The Middle East & oil money is doing their best to control all sports bodies around the world. If this happens, it just proves that they are trying to extend their control.” 

However, there was one comment that stood out, as it seemed to support Ben Sulayem himself, based on a potential V8 return in the next few years. They said, “He’s bringing back the V8s, otherwise we will get a puppet President that does what the Manufacturers want!"

The current presidency rules and a return to V8s

The current rules allow an FIA President to be re-elected twice after their original election to power, with 12 years being the maximum they can serve.

Ben Sulayem has held the position since 2021, when he replaced Jean Todt. He was then re-elected unopposed in 2025, as a result of an FIA technicality that prevented anyone else from participating. 

In recent times, with all the flak the current hybrid powertrain has received, the FIA President is pushing for a return to V8s by 2031, if not 2030. He says even if the manufacturers veto it in 2030, the FIA will enforce it the next year. 

Surprisingly, this has gained the approval of both Mercedes-AMG and Red Bull Ford. The Mercedes Team Principal, Toto Wolff, said he was open to V8 engines returning in F1, but in a manner that allows the battery to remain integrated in the powertrain, supplementing the combustion engine with extra power. 

On the other hand, Ford’s Performance Director, Mark Rushbrook, also expressed support for the V8's return to F1, stating that the V8 is still a very fundamentally relevant powertrain to Ford, despite its initial resistance to the idea, given its comeback to F1 was based on heavy electrification. 

Do you want to see V8s coming back soon?

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Written by

Aaradhya Singh

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason