
Carlos Sainz For FIA President? Major Shake-up In F1 Authority Possible: Report
Emirati Mohammed Ben Sulayem is expected to seek a second term in December, and Sainz is the first potential challenger to break cover.
Spaniard Carlos Sainz Sr., father of the namesake Williams Formula One driver, said he is considering running for president of the governing FIA this year.
The 63-year-old, a double world rally champion and four-time winner of the Dakar Rally who is still competing, told Motorsport.com on Wednesday that he was assessing how much support he could count on.
Emirati Mohammed Ben Sulayem is expected to seek a second term in December, and Sainz is the first potential challenger to break cover.
'This possibility (of standing) has been in my mind for some time now, not very deeply, but now I think it could be the right time in my career for me to take the step," said Sainz.
'I'm confident I can do a good job and put together an excellent team to give back to the sport part of what it has given me."
Ben Sulayem is a controversial figure who has had battles with teams and drivers in Formula One and rallying, but he holds a strong hand in an election where geography and regional loyalties come into play.
Presidential candidates are also required to stand with a slate of potential office-holders put forward for the various roles.
Sainz said there would be no conflict of interest with his son, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association.
'He has been in F1 for a decade now, and we both know that if I go ahead with this project, our relationship will change, of course. The FIA is a very serious entity, and there will be no conflict."
First Published:
May 08, 2025, 11:19 IST
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Manolo Marquez resigned in April but was asked to continue till June, reveals former India coach
Former India coach Manolo Marquez has said that though he and the All India Football Federation mutually parted ways in July, he had tendered his resignation months ago. 'I resigned in April, but they asked me to take the June transfer window,' Marquez told Spanish outlet MARCA in an interview. 'I didn't want to leave because of the poor results. In fact, they tried to convince me to stay for a month. It seems they've now accepted my initial decision.' ALSO READ: Identity crisis of ISL — How Indian football's grand carnival is losing its spark Marquez, who came to India as Hyderabad FC's head coach in 2020, helped the side with the Indian Super League two years later. In June 2024, he succeeded Igor Stimac as the men's team head coach but could not steer the side to a competitive win in his one year in charge. 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞, 𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐳! 🇮🇳⚽️ Manolo Marquez is excited to take the helm of the Indian team, promising dedication and success. 🏆 Grateful to AIFF for this honor! 🙌 — Indian Football Team (@IndianFootball) July 20, 2024 'Coaching the Indian national team was the dream of my life, but when you see that all the teams don't play by the same rules, you feel like this isn't the place for you,' Marquez said. RELATED: Marquez was a good coach, but there were no results: IM Vijayan Under Marquez, India lost the Intercontinental Cup, drew and lost three games each, winning just a friendly – a 3-0 victory against the Maldives. 'I recognise that I've done things wrong, but if the results had improved, I would probably still be in the position,' the Spaniard, who also led FC Goa to the Super Cup title last season, said. ALSO READ: Inside Indian football's youth crisis — what's going wrong? Marquez's last match in charge was an away game against Hong Kong, which India lost 0-1 after the visitors converted from the spot in second-half stoppage time. 'Three days before the match against Hong Kong, all the players knew it would be my last game with the national team. It's not easy for a player who arrives for three weeks to be in a team where you know the coach is going to leave,' Marquez said.


Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
‘I resigned as India head coach in April, AIFF asked me to extend till June': Manolo Marquez
New Delhi: Former India men's football head coach Manolo Marquez has revealed he wanted to step down from his post in April but was asked to extend his stay by a few months by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). The Spaniard was appointed head coach after the fiery exit of previous head coach Igor Stimac in 2024 and has gone on to lead the Blue Colts in eight games with only one win, a 3-0 victory over Maldives in a friendly. In the end, he left the post with a win percentage of just 13 per cent. "I resigned in April, but they asked me to do the June window, They tried to convince me for a month to continue at the head of the Indian national team. "I didn't want to leave because of the bad results. In fact, they tried to convince me for a month to continue. It seems that they have now accepted my initial decision," Marquez told Spanish news outlet Marca. Marquez mutually parted ways with the AIFF after India's poor start to the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers as the Men in Blue played out a draw against Bangladesh in the opening game before an injury time goal in the 0-1 loss vs Hong Kong further added to their woes. Marquez also stated that poor results did affect his tenure, but they were not the reason he stepped away. "Coaching the Indian national team was the illusion of my life, but when you see that all teams do not play with the same rules, you feel that this is not your place. I admit that I have done things wrong, but if the results had improved, I would probably still be in office," he added. Marquez first landed in India ahead of the 2020-21 Indian Super League season to take charge of Hyderabad FC, where he won the Indian Super League title in 2022. In his three years with The Nizams, Marquez took charge of 74 games out of which he won 37 and drew 21. He went on to take the helm at FC Goa and led them to a Super Cup triumph. His time as FC Goa's head coach saw him become a dual manager, occupying head coach roles with both the national team and the ISL side as well. In 62 matches under Marquez, FC Goa has won 38 games with 12 losses and draws each.


United News of India
4 hours ago
- United News of India
Alcaraz, Sabalenka reach quarterfinals at Wimbledon
London, July 7 (UNI) Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz staged a thrilling comeback to defeat Andrey Rublev and advance to the Wimbledon quarterfinals, while women's top seed Aryna Sabalenka continued her dominant run with a straight-sets victory over Elise Mertens on Sunday. Alcaraz dropped the first set against the 14th-seeded Rublev but showcased his trademark resilience, rallying to win 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. The 22-year-old Spaniard converted crucial break points in the second and third sets before sealing the match with another break in the fourth. "One point can change a match completely. You have to stay there all the time, be strong mentally," said Alcaraz, who remains on track for a third consecutive Wimbledon title. He will next face Cameron Norrie, after the Briton outlasted Chile's Nicolas Jarry in a five-set marathon, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (7), 6-7 (5), 6-3. Fifth seed Taylor Fritz matched his best Wimbledon performance by reaching the quarterfinals after opponent Jordan Thompson retired due to injury while trailing 6-1, 3-0. Fritz will now meet Karen Khachanov, who eased past Poland's Kamil Majchrzak 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. World No. 1 Sabalenka overcame a stubborn challenge from Mertens, winning 6-4, 7-6 (4) to book her place in the last eight. The Belarusian, the only top-six seed remaining in the women's draw, will next face Laura Siegemund, after the 37-year-old German ended lucky loser Solana Sierra's fairytale run with a 6-3, 6-2 victory. American Amanda Anisimova bolstered her title credentials with a hard-fought 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 win over Linda Noskova. The 13th seed will next take on Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who defeated Britain's Sonay Kartal earlier in the day. UNI XINHUA GNK 1114