Laura Villars has promulgated her goals for the FIA as she outlined her commitments in the run-up to the presidential elections.
Villars, 28, has now become the third candidate for the upcoming presidential elections alongside incumbent FIA head Mohammed Ben Sulayem and Tim Mayer.
If successful, the Swiss racing driver will become the first-ever female head of international motorsports’ governing body.
Coming into her candidacy, Villars has outlined her aspirations and objectives for the FIA in a single-page letter addressed to all the member clubs.
Amongst other things, Villars has proclaimed certain very ambitious goals such as eradicating fatality from the sport by 2035.
Another aspect of her tenure, if elected, would be to make the FIA carbon-neutral by 2035.
“I will commit to ‘Zero Death by 2035’, launch Smart Mobility Grands (100 projects in three years), transform the MoU into a FIA-UNWTO Action Plan financing tourism initiatives, and deploy a universal digital card for mobility services,” she wrote.
Villars promises inclusivity and transparency at the helm of the FIA
The FIA has come under a lot of scrutiny since Ben Sulayem assumed the office of president. One of the biggest talking points, amongst drivers and fans alike, has been the alleged lack of transparency, both financial and otherwise.
The 28-year-old has committed herself to inculcating the ethos of transperancy and inclusivity with certain ambitious projects in the pipeline that she wants to implement.
“I will create a Women in Motorsport Fund with 20 annual scholarships, launch a Young Leaders Academy training 25 talents per year worldwide, and introduce transparent co-financing mechanisms to cut grassroots entry costs by at least 20 per cent in three years,” she explained.
“The FIA is our common home. I have belonged to it all my life, both as a racing driver and as a member of mobility clubs.
“Today, I want to put this experience at the service of a collective project, built with and for the clubs.”
She admitted that the incumbent ascendancy at the FIA may have moved forward in the implementing certain initiatives for the benefit of the sport and mobility as a whole but highlighted how these efforts have only been symbolic. This is something she claims will change under her tenure.
“I fully recognise these efforts. But too often, they remain symbolic, limited in scope, or accessible only to a few.
“My candidacy is not about ignoring the past, but about taking the next step: consolidating what already exists, amplifying what is still symbolic, and creating what is missing,” asserted Villar.
“At 28, as a racing driver and entrepreneur, I represent a new generation. My goal is to restore trust, strengthen transparency, and ensure the FIA truly serves all its members – ASNs, mobility clubs, and mixed organisations alike.”
READ MORE — Exclusive: New FIA presidential candidate teases plans to ‘refresh’ motorsport
Discussion about this post