UAE's Ben Sulayem secures second term as FIA president

FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem secured a second four-year term at the helm of motorsport's world governing body unopposed on Friday.

The 64-year-old Emirati, a former rally driver, was the sole candidate put forward at the International Automobile Federation's annual general assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

"Thank you to all our FIA members for voting in remarkable numbers and placing your trust in me once again," he said in a statement.

"We have overcome many obstacles but here today, together, we are stronger than ever."

American Tim Mayer had sought the position but ended his bid in October, saying FIA statutes prevented anyone from challenging Ben Sulayem.

Swiss-French racer Laura Villars, who had also wanted to be a candidate, took legal action to try to suspend the election but a Paris court ruled this month that it could proceed.

Her legal team has said the election's validity "may be reviewed, challenged, or annulled" at a further court hearing scheduled for February.

Mayer and Villars were both unable to put together the required slate of potential vice-presidents from an official list of 29 by an October 24 deadline.

Every candidate must name one person from all the FIA global regions but only one South American appeared on the official list -- Brazilian Fabiana Ecclestone, who is married to ex-Formula One supremo Bernie and is on Ben Sulayem's team.

The FIA said the election was conducted in line with its statutes "through a robust and transparent voting process, reflecting the democratic foundations of the federation and the collective voice of its global membership."