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Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), recently returned to the driver’s seat to showcase his luxury car collection to Paraguay’s President Santiago Peña in Dubai. The meeting took place during the World Government Summit in Dubai this week, where the two leaders shared their mutual passion for motorsports and luxury automobiles.
President Peña, accompanied by First Lady Leticia Ocampos, accepted Ben Sulayem’s invitation to experience some of his prized vehicles. The 14-time Middle East Rally Champion took the Paraguayan president on a drive in two of his favorite cars: an Aston Martin Valkyrie and a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport.
FIA President Hosts Paraguay Leader in Dubai
According to Mohammed Ben Sulayem, hosting President Peña and the First Lady was a great honor. “It was a great honor for me to spend this time with the President of Paraguay and the First Lady, and an honor to welcome them to my country,” the FIA president said. He added that the experience reflected the strength of their friendship and expressed optimism about the future of motorsports and mobility in Paraguay under President Peña’s leadership.
Building on a Growing Partnership
The relationship between the FIA president and President Peña has strengthened since their initial meeting last August. The two leaders first met during the FIA’s Annual American Conference held in Asunción, Paraguay’s capital, where they discussed global motorsports and mobility issues.
President Peña officially opened the three-day conference, which brought together mobility and motorsports leaders from across the Americas. The event focused on key initiatives including road safety, sustainable mobility, regional sports development, and transportation innovation.
Paraguay’s Historic Entry into World Rally Championship
The conference paved the way for a historic milestone in Paraguayan motorsports. The country participated in the World Rally Championship calendar for the first time, hosting Rally Paraguay in the Itapúa region. This marked a significant achievement for motorsports in Paraguay and demonstrated the country’s commitment to developing its racing infrastructure.
Ben Sulayem attended the rally’s opening ceremony alongside President Peña. At the time, he stated that Paraguay’s entry into the championship, combined with the 2025 season’s new final round in Saudi Arabia, signaled the beginning of an exciting new era for rally sports at the highest levels.
Shared Passion for Motorsports
Paraguay’s debut in the World Rally Championship represents a historic moment for Paraguayan motorsports, reinforcing the shared passion for racing and the country’s distinguished history in rally sports. The collaboration between the FIA and Paraguay highlights the growing global reach of motorsports and the importance of regional development.
Meanwhile, the Annual American Conference held last August provided a vital opportunity to strengthen cooperation among countries across the Americas. The gathering enabled participants to exchange expertise in transportation and motorsports while advancing shared priorities of safety, sustainability, and innovation in the automotive sector.
The ongoing partnership between the FIA president and Paraguay’s leadership is expected to continue fostering motorsports development in the South American nation. However, specific details about future collaborative initiatives or upcoming motorsports events in Paraguay have not yet been confirmed by either party.
