FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem is facing mounting pressure as Motorsport UK threatens legal action over concerns about governance and transparency within the motorsport governing body.

David Richards, chairman of Motorsport UK and a former F1 team principal, has taken a firm stance against Ben Sulayem’s leadership, detailing his concerns in a strongly worded letter to FIA members. The letter, prompted by what Richards called the “final straw,” comes after he and other members of the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) were barred from attending a recent meeting for refusing to sign a newly introduced non-disclosure agreement.

In his open letter, Richards criticised the confidentiality agreement as a “gagging order” and accused Ben Sulayem of failing to uphold key promises made during his 2021 election campaign.

“For some time now, I’ve had concerns about the erosion of accountability and good governance within the FIA,” he wrote.

Richards outlined that Motorsport UK had supported Ben Sulayem’s election based on three core principles: a hands-off approach from the president, the appointment of a capable CEO, and full transparency in decision-making. However, he argued that these commitments have not only gone unfulfilled but that the situation has “progressively worsened.”

One of Richards’ main grievances is the handling of FIA’s internal governance, particularly in relation to the Audit and Ethics Committees, which he claims have been stripped of autonomy. He also highlighted the departure of FIA CEO Natalie Robyn after just 18 months, as well as the removal of officials who challenged the president’s authority. Additionally, Richards expressed concerns over the increasing reliance on e-voting, which, he claims, limits meaningful debate on key issues within the WMSC.

The introduction of the new confidentiality agreement became the tipping point for Richards. He stated that while he had already signed an agreement upon joining the WMSC in 2021, the newly proposed terms were far more restrictive.

He objected to three key aspects: the broad classification of all information as confidential, the FIA’s unilateral power to determine breaches without due process, and an immediate fine of €50,000 for any violations, with the threat of further financial penalties.

When he and other members refused to sign, they were barred from the WMSC meeting—a move he claims is a direct violation of FIA statutes. Richards has since sought legal clarification from Motorsport UK’s legal team and French counsel, challenging the FIA’s actions and demanding answers.

“It is very disappointing to report that we have still not received an answer to these or the fundamental question I raised: where in the FIA Statutes does it provide for an elected member to be barred from a meeting?” he wrote.

He remains open to signing a revised confidentiality agreement but insists that governance issues must be addressed first. The letter concludes with a firm warning: unless the FIA takes corrective action, Motorsport UK is prepared to escalate the matter through legal channels

 “These actions by the FIA are in breach of their own Statutes,” Richards stated.

“As a result, we have informed the FIA that unless they address the issues we’ve raised, we will be engaging in further legal action.”

With an FIA presidential election looming, Richards emphasised the importance of holding the governing body accountable, ensuring that transparency and good governance remain at the core of its leadership.