Carlos Sainz Sr. is reportedly considering a run for the FIA presidency as internal unrest and controversy continue to mount around Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s tenure.
The Spaniard, a two-time World Rally Champion and four-time Dakar Rally winner, most recently claimed victory in the 2024 edition of the Dakar Rally at the age of 61.
According to Motorsport.com, Sainz Sr has been approached by key figures within motorsport ahead of this year’s FIA General Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on 12 December.
He is the father of Williams Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz Jr and has continued to play an active role in top-level competition while maintaining close ties to the wider community.
If he does stand, the report claims he would present a “positive and constructive program” that would give FIA delegates a clear alternative to the current leadership.
Ben Sulayem’s rocky tenure
Ben Sulayem, who also turned 63 this year and is a former rally driver himself, was elected president in late 2021, succeeding Jean Todt after a 12-year term.
His tenure has been turbulent, though, marked by a series of governance controversies, internal departures and strained relations with both teams and drivers.
Among the most high-profile issues was the resignation last month of Deputy President for Sport Robert Reid, who cited a “fundamental breakdown in governance standards” and accused the FIA of making “critical decisions without due process.”
Reid had been among several members of the organisation who were barred from attending a World Council meeting earlier this year after refusing to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
The incident sparked a public response from David Richards, the UK’s motorsport representative, who warned of an increasingly opaque leadership structure and raised concerns about a growing concentration of power in the office of the president.
Ben Sulayem has also drawn criticism for his handling of public communications and disciplinary matters.
His attempt to ban swearing in interviews was met with open resistance from rally drivers, who protested by refusing to speak English, while F1 drivers issued a collective letter asking to be treated with greater professionalism.
In other incidents, he received a legal warning from F1’s commercial rights holders after commenting on the sport’s valuation, was the subject of an investigation into alleged interference in a Grand Prix result from which he was later cleared, and faced backlash over historic misogynistic remarks that resurfaced in 2023.
The FIA also attracted controversy when it launched a compliance inquiry into Mercedes boss Toto Wolff and his wife Susie, who leads the F1 Academy series. That investigation was abandoned within 48 hours following a public statement of support from all nine other incumbent F1 teams. Legal action related to the incident is now ongoing.
Sainz Sr, whose career includes World Rally titles in 1990 and 1992 and Dakar wins in 2010, 2018, 2020 and 2024, is seen by many in the paddock as a unifying figure with genuine pedigree.
While he has yet to officially declare his candidacy, speculation continues to build, and it is expected that any serious challengers will emerge well ahead of the December vote.
The FIA has not yet confirmed the deadline for nominations.
If Sainz does run, it would set the stage for a fascinating political battle between two high-profile veterans of the rally world. It may also represent the most consequential FIA presidential election in over a decade, as motorsport’s governing body faces increasing pressure to restore transparency, unity and credibility at the top.
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