Exclusive: Carlos Sainz Sr considering run for FIA president

Carlos Sainz Sr is considering running against Mohammed Ben Sulayem to be the next FIA president.

Sources close to the former World Rally champion and Dakar winner said that several key figures from within the motorsport world have approached him about running against Ben Sulayem, the current FIA president.

Motorsport.com understands that Sainz, the father of Williams F1 driver Carlos Sainz, is now seriously considering whether to stand against Ben Sulayem, whose tenure as president of F1’s governing body has been marred by controversy.

If 63-year-old Sainz were to stand against Ben Sulayem, himself a former rally driver, sources said it would be to “present a positive and constructive program” to give the FIA delegates another option in the election for president.

Ben Sulayem, also 63, was elected president at the end of 2021 – replacing Jean Todt, who had served for 12 years.

The next election is at the end of this year, though no date has been confirmed.

Earlier in the year, there was speculation that Susie Wolff, managing director of F1 Academy, could run for president, but those rumours were shut down.

Ben Sulayem’s term in office has been hit by a swathe of controversies. Most recently, the FIA has seen a string of key figures leaving the governing body. Robert Reid, deputy president for sport, left last month, stating “a fundamental breakdown in governance standards” and “critical decisions being made without due process”.

In February, several FIA members were barred from a meeting of its world council after refusing to sign a non-disclosure agreement. Reid was one of those who refused to sign, alongside David Richards, the UK’s representative. Richards subsequently issued an open letter in which it made clear that a growing number of people had concerns about the governance of the FIA. 

“The governance and constitutional organisation of the FIA is becoming ever more opaque and concentrating power in the hands of the president alone”. Richards said. “We cannot allow a shift of the moral compass of our leadership to simply dismiss any request for transparency and open discourse.”

Mohammed ben Sulayem, FIA President, Nikolas Tombazis, FIA Single Seater Director

Photo by: Rudy Carezzevoli / Motorsport Images

Ben Sulayem has not been embroiled in controversy with just FIA members but has also upset drivers over his ban on swearing.

Rally drivers protested by refusing to give interviews in English, while F1 drivers wrote an open letter asking to be treated like adults.

Other controversies involving Ben Sulayem include the Emirati being investigated for potential meddling in a race result, something he was later cleared of. He received a ‘cease and desist’ letter from F1’s lawyers over comments he made on social media about the value of Formula 1. Historical quotes also emerged of him making misogynistic remarks.

At the end of 2023, the FIA, under Ben Sulayem’s guidance, also launched a compliance inquiry into Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and his wife, Susie, on the grounds of a conflict of interest. The claim was withdrawn within two days after all of the other nine teams issued a joint statement stating they had no problem, and there is now a legal case against the FIA ongoing as a result.

Other figures are expected to emerge in a bid to run against Ben Sulayem.