Motorsport UK chairman David Richards has hit back after a “disappointing” response from the FIA to his complaints about motorsport governing body’s “wholly inappropriate” actions.

Last month Richards, the long-time head of Motorsport UK, threatened legal action against FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem for what Richards called the “erosion of accountability and good governance within the FIA.”

Motorsport UK accuses FIA of ‘gagging order’

The former Formula 1 team boss had been blocked from attending a World Motor Sport Council meeting after refusing to sign a stricter non-disclosure agreement, that reportedly forbade those attending from discussing matters pertinent to the FIA outside official settings.

The Briton was one of two people banned, the other being FIA deputy director for sport Robert Reid.

Richards responded by writing a strongly worded letter to the members of Motorsport UK, in which he criticised Ben Sulayem’s “distinct failure to meet promises” as well as the FIA’s “lack” of autonomy.

The FIA, however, insisted the meeting was legitimate under WMSC guidelines.

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An FIA spokesperson told PlanetF1.com at the time: “As is routine in all organisations, the FIA implements procedures including non-disclosure agreements to ensure confidential relationships between all parties, to safeguard personal information, and to protect our regulatory interests.

“Unauthorised disclosure of confidential information undermines our ability to fully fulfil our mission and adversely impacts our capabilities to generate revenues to support our member clubs in our shared objective of growing motorsport participation, increasing accessibility, and cultivating innovation.

“The steps we have taken to preserve confidentiality have been overwhelmingly supported by a super majority of WMSC members.”

Richards revealed Motorsport UK’s legal team had written to the FIA, but had yet to receive a response.

That finally arrived on Monday, FIA General Manager Alberto Villarreal writing that there could be no “reasonable objection” to the FIA wishing to “reinforce existing duties of confidentiality” through the stricter NDA.

But going on to speak about the FIA’s “lasting and positive legacy” under Ben Sulayem’s leadership, Richards hit back by claiming Villarreal had “simply batted away” his concerns over what he perceived to be a “gagging order”.

In a fresh letter to Motorsport UK members, dated Wednesday, he added that he hopes that “despite dismissing these material issues, we might yet have a sensible discussion with the legal counsel of the FIA and resolve these points.”

FIA letter to David Richards, dated April 7

Dear David,

Following your open letter of 5th March 2025 to members of Motorsport UK made publicly available on its website and picked up by the media regarding your opinions on the FIA President’s first term of office since 2021, I felt it was important to address your comments and clarify the significant steps the FIA under the leadership of our President has taken to transform and improve the organisation, financial performance and governance of the FIA.

The FIA, as is common in business, and I am sure in the many organisations that you have led, has procedures in place to protect and safeguard confidential information, including confidentiality agreements. Such agreements are very much a standard part of business.

The unauthorised disclosure of information not only damages the FIA but undermines our ability to fulfil our mission to member clubs impacting the objectives of growing motorsport participation, increasing accessibility and cultivating innovation in the sport we love.

It is therefore unsurprising that those steps the FIA has taken to preserve confidentiality were overwhelmingly supported by a super majority of World Motor Sport Council members. With this in mind, we struggle to understand your reluctance to be bound by the same terms and conditions as your fellow members, given you acknowledge the damage the numerous leaks from the World Motor Sport Council have made to the FIA’s mission.

As a responsible member of the Council and someone who operates with integrity, I trust that you could have no reasonable objection to an agreement which simply serves to reinforce existing duties of confidentiality, and which is in line with best practice for an organisation of the FIA’s responsibilities and standing. There is no question of this being a “gagging order” as your letter characterises it.

Under the leadership of its President, the FIA is delivering a lasting and positive legacy in support of the Federation’s global mission.

During the President’s first term in office, the FIA has made remarkable strides improving the financial performance, governance, and global engagement to ensure the long-term sustainability of motorsport and mobility. The financial turnaround is evident, with a projected €2.2 million improvement in 2024 compared to the €24 million deficit that the President inherited in 2021.

The President’s commitment to regional empowerment has strengthened collaboration across motorsport and mobility, fostering knowledge sharing and strategic initiatives that drive growth. Global motorsport participation continues to grow, with 2.7 million participants taking part in 60,700 annual events, across 7,200 venues.

Under the President’s leadership, the FIA has made key investment decisions, such as the recent takeover of the FIA World Rallycross Championship operations, and his vision of bringing an eleventh team to the Formula 1 grid, reflect our ambition to expand fan engagement, elevate our sport’s global presence, and protect it for future generations.

Throughout the President’s period in office, he has shown an unwavering dedication to diversity, inclusion, and accessibility that is reflected in our global leadership and initiatives. With over a third of our FIA colleagues being female—including senior leaders and global vice presidents—we all continue to champion a more inclusive community.

Furthering the President’s commitment to doubling global motorsport, the launch of the Affordable Cross Car programme, Motorsport in a Box, and the Global Karting Plan continue to open doors to entry-level motorsport participation and have increased the accessibility and sustainability to motorsport for clubs worldwide.

Sustainability remains a priority to the FIA, and we will unveil an updated 2025 strategy that strengthens the FIA’s global environmental commitments, while our engagement with governmental and international institutions, including the UN and European Commission, amplifies advocacy for mobility and sport. This commitment is underscored by the President’s appointment in September 2024 as a UN Tourism’s Ambassador for Sustainable Tourism.

We have led the expansion of the FIA University which underscores our mission to empower members with the knowledge to navigate evolving regulations and challenges, while the digitalisation of the eLibrary and archive has, to date, safeguarded over 1,600 irreplaceable pieces of sporting and mobility history for future generations.

Under the President’s leadership, the FIA is driving the future of motorsport and mobility with innovation, inclusivity, and sustainability at the forefront.

We are all, at the FIA, are very proud of all that has been accomplished in the first Presidential term and central to these achievements have been his efforts to improve the FIA’s organisation and governance.

We would ask that this response is shared with the members of Motorsport UK and published on its website in full.

Yours sincerely,

Alberto Villarreal

FIA General Manager

Open letter to Motorsport UK Members from David Richards, dated April 9

Dear Members,

On 7 April 2025, I received a letter from the General Manager of the FIA, Alberto Villareal, which, as per his request, we have published here in full for everyone to read.

We welcome an open and transparent dialogue on the performance of the FIA, as should be the case for every member owned organisation. I would like to make clear that I have the highest respect for the team at the FIA who work tirelessly on behalf of the sport and their achievements over the last three years. They continue to maintain the highest standards of safety and regulatory excellence that is expected of motorsport’s world governing body and this has never been my concern.

What is disappointing in this letter from Alberto is the disregard for the very real concerns that have been expressed, not just by myself, but a growing number of people, that the governance and constitutional organisation of the FIA is becoming ever more opaque and concentrating power in the hands of the President alone. My previous letter to members explained these concerns and for completeness I also attach this for reference.

My current issue is with a requirement to sign an amended confidentiality agreement that doesn’t contain a clear procedure for evaluating a breach nor an independent process in the event of a dispute. I stand by my statement that this is in effect a ‘gagging order’ and yet these points are simply batted away by Alberto, the FIA General Manager. Furthermore, the subsequent action to exclude me from the WMSC meeting is in contravention with the FIA Statutes and unlawful under French law.

I very much hope that despite Alberto’s letter, dismissing these material issues, we might yet have a sensible discussion with the legal counsel of the FIA and resolve these points. They are not insurmountable, but as currently written they are wholly inappropriate. So much so that various other parties have expressed the same concerns which has resulted in adaptations to the agreements that they have signed. That opportunity has not yet been afforded to me.

So, in conclusion, there are many things to be proud of that the FIA team in Geneva have achieved over the last three years. But we cannot allow a shift of the moral compass of our leadership to simply dismiss any request for transparency and open discourse.

I am in the Middle East for the next week and hope that I may meet with the FIA President to express my views face to face and agree an acceptable outcome.

Kind Regards,

David Richards CBE

Motorsport UK Chair

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