Formula 1’s governing body, the FIA, has removed the 12-year term limit for its presidency after receiving approval in a vote this week.The move opens the door for the current president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, to stay in his role until he is defeated in an election or opts against running for re-election.Ben Sulayem, 64, was elected as FIA president at the end of 2021 and is currently in his second term, having run unopposed at the most recent election that took place last December.Under article 20.10 of the FIA statutes, the president of the FIA “may not serve more than three terms of office, whether consecutive or not, i.e. a maximum duration of 12 years.”But these limits have now been removed following a vote at the FIA’s Extraordinary General Assembly in Macau this week, approving an amendment to the rules.An FIA statement recapping the decisions in Macau said that “term limits have been removed from FIA bodies, bringing them in line with the World Councils and the Senate.”The term limits were introduced by Jean Todt, who took over as FIA president in 2009 and served three terms through to Ben Sulayem’s election in 2021.“The FIA Statutes have been updated to establish a consistent approach to term limits across all FIA bodies, in line with the World Councils and the Senate,” an FIA spokesperson said in a statement to The Athletic. “The proposed amendments were approved by a supermajority at the Extraordinary General Assemblies. FIA bodies retain full authority to democratically elect officeholders they deem appropriate.”“The decisions approved by our Members here today reflect the continued progress we are making together as a Federation,” said Ben Sulayem in a statement issued by the FIA. “Through stronger governance, financial discipline and a clear long-term vision, we are building an FIA that is better equipped to support our Members, strengthen our championships, and deliver for motorsport and mobility worldwide.”Ben Sulayem, 64, was elected as FIA president at the end of 2021. (Photo: CHANDAN KHANNA / AFP via Getty Images)It marks the latest adjustment to the FIA’s governance structure under Ben Sulayem, whose tenure has faced controversy surrounding its decision-making and use of power within the organization.Last April, Ben Sulayem’s vice-president, Robert Reid, resigned from his role over what he described as a “governance crisis,” claiming he had “witnessed a steady erosion of the principles we promised to uphold” upon moving into the role.David Richards, the chairman of Motorsport UK which is the FIA’s British member club, also wrote an open letter last April in which he claimed there had been a “shift of the moral compass of our leadership.”The FIA’s governance rules came into the spotlight around last year’s election after three candidates, including American racing executive Tim Mayer, were unable to stand due to restrictions within the required criteria.All presidential candidates are required to submit a list of six vice-presidents from across the FIA’s regions, comprising of World Motor Sport Council members. As the only South American representative, Fabiana Ecclestone had already given her support for Ben Sulayem, but Mayer was unable to meet the criteria to be on the ballot.“The rules of this election mean that there will be no election,” said Mayer in October, adding: “When elections are decided before ballots are cast, that’s not democracy. That’s theater.”The existing FIA statutes also state the FIA president “must be under 70 years of age on the day of the election (or of the re-election),” which, if unchanged, would prevent Ben Sulayem from standing for a fourth term.In his role, Ben Sulayem wields significant power regarding F1’s regulations, and has outlined his desire to push through a change in the existing engine formula and return to V8 engines with minimal hybrid power. F1 currently uses V6 turbo engines which have a near 50-50 split in combustion and electric power.Although this could be achieved by 2030 with support from F1’s manufacturers and teams, Ben Sulayem has indicated he would look to push this through for 2031 even without their backing.