The challenges facing Carlos Sainz Sr if he runs for FIA president
F1
Carlos Sainz Sr is considering challenging FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem in this year's election for the top job at racing's governing body. But he'll have to overturn the odds to succeed
Sainz believes he can give back if he becomes FIA president
The revelation that Carlos Sainz Sr is considering running for FIA president this year means Mohammed Ben Sulayem could face serious opposition when he seeks re-election in December.
Sainz, a two-time World Rally champion and the father of the namesake Williams F1 driver, is the first potential candidate to have emerged ahead of the election where Ben Sulayem’s term as the head of the governing body will face a critical vote following a controversial four years since he became FIA president in 2021.
“The world of motor sport has been and continues to be my life, it has given me everything and I think this would be a great way to return part of what I have received,” Sainz told Spain’s El Confidencial newspaper.
“I think it could be the right time in my career to take this step, and that’s why I’m seriously considering it.”
There are still several obstacles to overcome for 63-year-old Sainz if he is to officially throw his hat into the ring, but the Spaniard says he has received a lot of support encouraging him to go for it.
“From now on, it will be important to assess the support I may have, but I am confident that I can form an excellent team to accompany me in my candidacy,” Sainz added.
“It is still early, but there are already many people who are encouraging me to take the step.”
What Sainz needs to run
Sainz is a regular in the F1 paddock
Grand Prix Photo
Sainz’s credibility as a life-long competitor at the top level will undoubtedly play in his favour, but the complex web of politics within the FIA makes the success of his potential candidacy far from a given.
In order to be eligible, Sainz will need to assemble a full list of senior officials representing both the sport and mobility sides of the FIA, including vice-presidents from different global regions.
The FIA represents 250 entities from 149 countries around the world, with Sainz needing formal nominations from FIA club members to be able to run.
The election process is very political and frequently depends on strategic alliances and backroom transactions among the FIA’s varied and occasionally dispersed memberships.
In Sainz’s favour, however, would be the promise of stability within the ruling body following months of turmoil under Ben Sulayem.
Among other controversies during his tenure, the Emirati recently lost his right-hand man, Robert Reid, who resigned citing a “fundamental breakdown in governance standards” and critical decisions being made without full transparency.
In that sense, Sainz would represent a clean slate for the FIA. Securing Reid’s services – if he doesn’t end up running for president himself – would also help Sainz’s cause.
Key to Ben Sulayem’s victory in the 2021 election was the support from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions, which is likely to back the Emirati once again this year.
Sainz is likely to find plenty of support if he runs
Grand Prix Photo
With no other candidates as yet, it is logical to expect Richards to throw his weight behind Sainz should he decide to run, adding a key element of support to the Spaniard’s potential candidacy.
Ben Sulayem won the 2021 election with 61% of the votes against his only rival Graham Stoker.
That Motorsport UK backed Ben Sulayem in favour of a British candidate in that election shows the complexities of the politics within the ruling body and highlights the challenge Sainz could face despite his record and credibility.
On top of his World Rally success, Sainz is a four-time Dakar winner and a very familiar face in the F1 paddock, but his achievements would not be a stand-out feature if he decides to run for president, as other successful men have failed before.
Another four-time Dakar winner and also a fellow World Rally champion, Ari Vatanen, lost the 2009 election race to Jean Todt, his former team boss at Peugeot.
Todt, the ultra-successful team boss at Ferrari, ran unopposed in the 2013 election as David Ward, a former FIA Foundation director, failed to gather enough support and pulled out. Todt had no rivals in the 2017 election either.
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In fact, no FIA president has been defeated in an election since Max Mosley beat Jean-Marie Balestre in 1993, a fact that will be present in Ben Sulayem’s mind come December.
Some reports earlier this year suggested Susie Wolff, the wife of Mercedes boss Toto, was also considering running for president, something she ruled out since.
Motorsport UK’s Richards appeared to be an ideal candidate to go against Ben Sulayem, but the FIA statutes were updated last year to bar candidates older than 70 from running for president. The statute previously had an age limit of 75.
Recently, Motor Sport columnist Matt Bishop suggested former F1 driver and Grand Prix Drivers’ Association chairman Alex Wurz should run, as he has all the right attributes for the job.
“If he were ever to knuckle down and do just one seriously big motor sport job, he would be extremely good at it,” Bishop wrote. “But he tends to underestimate his potential to land or even to discharge seriously big motor sport jobs, which is a pity, because there is no valid reason for his reluctance.
“I have one such seriously big motor sport job in mind, and I am not the first person to opine that he would be extremely good at it.”
