Carlos Sainz withdraws from FIA presidential race
After weeks of speculation, Carlos Sainz has announced that he will not run for the presidency of the FIA, ending rumors about a possible challenge to current president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
No FIA presidency bid for Carlos Sainz
Carlos Sainz has officially confirmed that he will not be a candidate in the upcoming FIA elections, scheduled to take place during the General Assembly in Uzbekistan on December 12.
The two-time World Rally Champion had recently acknowledged that he was seriously considering a run against incumbent FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. However, Sainz also made it clear that he needed to evaluate both the level of support available and his realistic chances of defeating the Emirati before making an official move. After a period of reflection, the Spaniard has chosen not to pursue the role and explained his decision in a public statement.
Carlos Sainz’s statement
“This message is to publicly confirm that I have decided not to run for FIA president in this year’s election. Over the past few months, I have worked hard to fully understand the FIA’s current situation, its needs, and the complexities involved in such an important project. After careful consideration, I’ve concluded that the current circumstances are not ideal to lay the foundation for my candidacy,” Carlos Sainz said.
“Additionally, I realized that a serious run for the presidency would significantly impact my preparation for the Dakar Rally, and I don’t want to compromise my commitment to Ford and my team. These concerns have led me to make a realistic decision and step away — for now — from this potential FIA role. While I’m stepping aside from this race, my passion for service and leadership in motorsport remains unchanged. I continue to believe that the Federation needs significant change, and I hope to contribute to that in the coming years. Motorsport and mobility have been my life, and I will follow future developments with great interest. […] I sincerely want to thank all of you for the support, encouragement, and advice I’ve received in recent weeks. It has strengthened my determination to keep pursuing my current and future goals, and I’m truly grateful. Thank you all.”
Just two weeks ago, the FIA approved several changes to its Statutes. Some of these have been interpreted as further efforts by Ben Sulayem to consolidate his power. One controversial update was a requirement that any presidential candidate must not have elements in their background that could “undermine their professional integrity” — a clause many perceived as a targeted response to Sainz’s potential candidacy due to a supposed conflict of interest involving his son, Carlos Sainz Jr., who races in Formula 1.
While it’s unclear how much this change influenced Carlos Sainz’s decision, the fact remains that Mohammed Ben Sulayem now faces no strong opposition in the upcoming December election.
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