Carlos Sainz Sr. has announced he will not be running for FIA president in this year’s election, as “the present circumstances are not ideal to set the grounds for my candidacy”.
The two-time world rally champion spoke of his interest in challenging Mohammed Ben Sulayem last month, with the election set to take place on December. He addressed conflict of interest concerns relating to his son – Williams driver Carlos Sainz – but not long after making his intent public, changes were made to the FIA statutes that brought forward a deadline for presidential teams to be announced, and also added a further stipulation for candidates.
The BBC was first to report a statute change that states there “must not be anything in the record of the candidates standing for the election as members of the presidential list that calls into question their professional integrity”.
The proposals were confirmed two weeks ago by way of a vote at the FIA General Assembly, and while Sainz Sr. also references his own rally career as central to his decision, he says he still feels changes are needed at the FIA.
“I have worked hard these past months to understand in depth the situation at the FIA and the demands and complexities that come with such an important project,” Sainz Sr said in a statement.
“After a thoughtful reflection, I have come to the conclusion that the present circumstances are not ideal to set the grounds for my candidacy.
“Furthermore, I have realized that properly running for president would notably compromise my preparation for the Dakar and I do not wish to weaken my commitment to Ford and my team. These concerns have therefore inclined me to be realistic and desist from my FIA endeavour for now.
“Despite stepping down from this race, my passion for serving and leading within the motorsport world hasn’t changed and I still believe the organisation needs important changes, which I remain genuinely hopeful will be tackled in the upcoming years.
“Both racing and mobility have been my life and I will closely follow future developments with great interest. I will always support my sport and try to contribute in all meaningful ways to improve mobility for road users around the world.
“Finally, I want to sincerely thank you all for the messages of support, encouragement and advice I have received during the past weeks. They have reinforced my confidence to continue striving towards my present and future goals.”
Sainz Sr’s decision means Ben Sulayem is currently set to run unopposed in December’s election.
