Sainz Sr Considering Running For Fia President

Rally fable Carlos Sainz Sr is considering moving for president of nan FIA, motorsport's governing body, successful December's election.

The 63-year-old two-time world champion told motorsport.com, external he was "in nan process of figuring retired really overmuch support I will get successful nan organization of motorsport".

Sainz - who is besides a four-time victor of nan Dakar Rally, connected which this twelvemonth he was still competing - would beryllium moving against existent FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, whose word successful agency since 2021 has been beset by controversy.

Ben Sulayem has not yet formally declared his volition to tally again, but is known to beryllium intending to. No different imaginable campaigner has yet declared interest.

Sainz said: "This anticipation has been successful my mind for immoderate clip now, not very deeply, but now I deliberation it could beryllium nan correct clip successful my profession for maine to return nan step.

"I'm assured I tin do a bully occupation and put together an fantabulous squad to springiness backmost to nan athletics portion of what it has fixed me.

"I person accumulated a batch of acquisition successful this athletics passim nan years and I'm definite I tin bring caller and absorbing things, to fortify and create nan athletics and nan automobile world."

Sainz is wide regarded arsenic a man of seriousness and integrity, arsenic good arsenic unquestionably an all-time awesome successful his field. Sources opportunity he is simply a consequential campaigner and would person wide support from wrong nan sport.

Sainz said location would beryllium nary conflict of liking pinch nan truth that his boy Carlos is an progressive F1 driver pinch Williams.

"I person my way grounds and group cognize maine good capable to understand that this will not beryllium an issue," Sainz said. "Obviously, I will person to measurement down regarding my domiciled pinch Carlos and his profession but this is not an rumor astatine all.

"He's not a kid immoderate more, he has been successful F1 for a decade now and we some cognize that if I spell up pinch this task our narration will change, of course.

"The FIA is simply a very superior entity and location will beryllium nary conflict."

Ben Sulayem suffered a rustle to his presidency pinch nan resignation of his lawman president for sport, Robert Reid, past month.

Reid discontinue citing "a basal breakdown successful governance standards" wrong nan FIA.

On nan time Reid announced his resignation, nan former FIA main executive serviceman Natalie Robyn collapsed nan silence she had maintained since being forced to resign past summertime aft 18 months successful nan role.

Robyn told BBC Sport nan FIA had "serious ongoing structural challenges", adding that "professional processes are not adhered to and stakeholders are excluded from decision-making".

Robyn's departure came aft she raised questions astir nan wide governance of nan FIA and its master practices, including finances successful nan president's office.

Her departure was followed by those of nan caput of nan audit committee Bertrand Badre, a erstwhile caput of nan World Bank, and audit committee personnel Tom Purves, a erstwhile BMW executive.

In November, Ben Sulayem fired FIA compliance serviceman Paolo Basarri, who successful March past twelvemonth looked into allegations that Ben Sulayem interfered successful nan operations of nan Saudi Arabian and Las Vegas Grands Prix successful 2023. Ben Sulayem was cleared pursuing an investigation by nan FIA's morals committee.

The FIA is presently the taxable of ineligible action by Susie Wolff, nan leader of nan F1 Academy for aspiring female drivers, aft a arguable conflict of liking enquiry into her and her husband, Toto Wolff, nan leader of Mercedes motorsport.

Senior FIA figures person besides raised concerns astir Ben Sulayem's determination to alteration nan statutes of nan governing assemblage past twelvemonth to trim accountability.

And astatine past weekend's Miami Grand Prix, Grand Prix Drivers' Association head George Russell called for action alternatively than words from nan FIA connected nan contention complete censures for swearing and criticising nan governing body.

The FIA is besides yet to explicate nan circumstances down nan return to nan organisation of erstwhile interim caput wide Shaila-Ann Rao, a small complete 2 years aft she near nan organisation pursuing a difficult narration pinch Ben Sulayem.