FIA presidential candidate Laura Villars has outlined some of the cornerstones of her ambitious campaign, in an exclusive interview with Motorsport Week.
The Swiss sports car driver, 28, announced her intention to stand in the election alongside incumbent Mohammed Ben Sulayem and fellow challenger Tim Mayer on Thursday.
Villars is the first woman to seek election to the presidency, and has outlined five key areas upon which her candidacy is platformed.
The announcement appeared to take the Formula 1 paddock, gathered for this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, by surprise, with no indication a second challenger to Ben Sulayem was forthcoming.
But speaking exclusively to Motorsport Week, Villars indicated that her plan to run was not made on any whim, and has confirmed a “big team” has assisted her bid.
“I decided a few months ago [to run], already with a big team behind me, because I want to refresh a bit this FIA motorsport world,” she said.
“I want to show how I have a new vision and it’s not about a matter of gender. I know my candidacy is quite unusual, but today it will be like a big normal for tomorrow.
“So, for me, what obsessed me in this candidacy is to share all what I had in my experience as a racing driver and I want to show and give to the clubs more transparency.”
Villars believes her experience in racing across different continents as further proof her profile is the right one to lead the sport’s governing body into a new dawn.
“I’ve raced in Europe, Middle East and I totally understand the realities that drivers and clubs face.
“So, this is a perspective that for me is very valuable and I really want to govern for everyone and go for it and decided to go with my team a few months ago already in this candidacy.”
Villars: ‘I’m very different’ from fellow FIA president candidates
When asked how she will differ to both Ben Sulayem and Mayer, Villars refused to draw any comparisons, insisting she is her own person which will stand out in her campaign.
“I don’t want to compare myself with anyone. I’m very different,” she said.
“I come with a future and new vision, a young vision and I don’t want to talk about other candidates.
“So, my vision is my vision. I want to go further on transparency, help young people to go in motorsport.
“Also, motorsport is not only this in the FIA. We have all the systems around the tourist mobility, which is also very important and we need to take care about.”
One of the key areas outlined on Thursday is to “empower clubs through regular consultations and participatory governance.”
Villars confirmed that she has been in dialogue with FIA member organisations and will reveal more upon the formal processing of her bid.
“Yes, I think to ask all the advice to the members is very important to share and have a lot of talking about it and putting them and face them,” she explained. “It’s very important.
“Yes, so for now I talk with a few clubs that I’m not able to share it now because I didn’t put it on my list yet.”
Mayer, who announced his intention to run against Ben Sulayem in July, has been seen at a multitude of Grands Prix since then.
Villars seemed nonplussed about the idea of showing her face in just an F1 paddock, explaining that the FIA’s reach broadens far further than just that.
“Not especially F1 paddock only, because FIA is around the globality, mobility, tourism. I will say it’s more globally older people that are very experienced.
“It’s a very big team around me and I’m happy to represent that team.”
Continued development of presidency programme ongoing
Villars seemed keen to keep the cards close to her chest, stating that the entirety of her manifesto will be outlined in due course.
“I’m going to do it step by step,” she said. “So, in the next week, I will present all my programme.
“Then when I will have on it the programme, we will go more on the list to show all the clubs and then the list will be before the 24th of October.”
Being still in her 20s, Villars is effectively in her prime as a racing driver, and running for the presidency would effectively mean the end of her career.
She said that she would be keen to continue racing regardless of the outcome of the election, but pledged her complete concentration on her presidency bid.
“For the end of the year, I will say I’m fully focused on this. So, racing, driving is something that I still want to do in my career.
“It’s very important, but now I make the decision to go under it and I will give all the best and myself for this presidency.”
Villars spoke of her admiration for emale figures already within motorsport, speaking of her praise for Susie Wolff, “and what she’s doing with the F1 Academy,” adding that female empowerment will be part of her campaign.
“I think it’s a very good point that we have,” she said. “And I think we need, as women, to still continue and to go further on breaking barriers. So, this is part of my programme.”
Villars revealed that she is still seeking further support of unnamed clubs and will make a more public statement of intent to run prior to the deadline on October 24.
“For now, the most important for me will be to develop my programme that is going to be online in the next weeks,” she said.
“Then to have all the support of clubs and then to have my official candidacy before 24 October.”
READ MORE – Female racing driver launches shock bid to become FIA president
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