The French Courts have determined that the legal recourse presented by Villars will be examined on merits by the Paris justice system 'who alone have the authority to assess the legality of the electoral process.'

The date of the hearing has been set for 16 February 2026, with the FIA presidential election taking place in Uzbekiztan one week after the chequered flag waves in Abu Dhabi this weekend, on 12 December.  

Villars, along with fellow former FIA presidential hopefuls, former Steward Tim Mayer and Belgian journalist and former model Virginie Philippot, were forced to drop out of the race ahead of the elections due to a quirk in the rules that prevented them to form their respective presidential teams.

The vetting process of all FIA candidates requires them to deliver a presidential list with individuals from each region of the world, but with the sole representative for South America, former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone's wife, Fabiana already throwing in her full support behind incumbent President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, Villars, Mayer and Philippot were effectively ruled out as true aspirants.

Villars' lawyer Robin Binsard said after the French Courts' ruling: "The urgent applications judge held that this dispute must be heard on the merits, and we will therefore continue this litigation against the FIA before the judges sitting on the merits. A first hearing is scheduled for 16 February 2026."

The FIA faces three legal challenges questioning its integrity and transparency along with Villar's case: Susie Wolff has filed a defamation claim in French High Courts after a brief 2023 FIA inquiry into potential conflicts of interest, Felipe Massa's lawsuit against the FIA, Formula 1, and Bernie Ecclestone over the 2008 “Crashgate,” has won a hearing, albeit if on restricted grounds. Read more here.

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