F1's Carlos Sainz Endorses His Father's Exit From FIA Presidential Campaign

Newsweek

2 days ago

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Williams Racing Formula One driver Carlos Sainz Jr. has backed his father Carlos Sainz Sr.'s decision not to enter the FIA presidential campaign this year. Sainz Sr. revealed that other commitments, including racing in the Dakar Rally, held him back from competing against current FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
Some of the F1 community looked forward to a change in the leadership of its governing body after Sainz Sr. said he was considering running for the position of FIA president. Now, Sainz Sr. has confirmed that he is abandoning the idea of entering the campaign.
Sainz Jr. acknowledged that he supported his father's decision in his role as a son, but as a motorsport fan, the Spaniard held a different opinion. When asked by the media if he was disappointed to see his father step down, Sainz Jr. said:
Carlos Sainz of Spain and Williams speaks in the media pen following his q1 exit during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 14, 2025 in Montreal, Canada.
Carlos Sainz of Spain and Williams speaks in the media pen following his q1 exit during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Canada at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on June 14, 2025 in Montreal, Canada."As his son, no. As a motorsport fan, yes.
"I think many motorsport people would have liked to see my dad giving it a go and seeing what he could have done for the sport, but as his son, and after evaluating a bit also with him, all the things he had to get involved with and [would] have to take care of, to confirm and to have any possibility of running for that presidency, I think I understand why he's not doing it and why he's letting it go and focusing on his own stuff."
However, he didn't rule out a future possibility of Sainz Sr. campaigning for the position of FIA president. Sainz Jr. added:
"Never say never. I think the ideal time was now, given the state of the situation that everything is in, I think it was the ideal moment for him to go in and and try to have a positive effect.
"I don't know if that will be ideal in four or eight years' time. I'll never say never, but right now, for sure, he's not interested anymore."
Sainz Sr., who is a two-time World Rally Championship winner, said he didn't want to compromise his preparations for the Dakar Rally by running for FIA president. He revealed in a statement on X:
"This message is to publicly confirm that I have finally decided not to run for the presidency of the FIA in this year's election.
"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," the 63-year-old wrote.
"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."
With no competition in place, Mohammed Ben Sulayem will likely continue to perform the role of FIA president.