Carlos Sainz Sr – a name etched in rallying history – may soon trade the desert dunes for the corridors of motorsport power, as the two-time World Rally Champion and four-time Dakar victor seriously contemplates a tilt at the FIA presidency.
At 63, the Spaniard remains as ambitious as ever. Having most recently competed – and won – at the Dakar Rally, Sainz is now gauging the depth of support across motorsport’s global ecosystem for what would be a landmark leadership bid. If confirmed, he would take on current president Mohammed Ben Sulayem in December’s election, a contest shaping up to be a pivotal moment for the scandal-hit FIA.
Ben Sulayem, who took office in 2021, is understood to be planning to run for a second term, though he has yet to formally announce his candidacy. With no other contenders currently declared, Sainz’s entrance would electrify the race and potentially galvanise an institution in urgent need of repair.
Sources close to the paddock suggest Sainz is being taken seriously across the motorsport landscape. Revered for his integrity and depth of experience, his credentials speak for themselves: rally champion, endurance expert, and mentor to a Formula 1 star – his son Carlos, now racing with Williams.
While the presence of his son on the F1 grid raises questions, Sainz has moved swiftly to clarify that there would be no conflict of interest. A firm believer in transparency and good governance, he indicated he would step back from any advisory role in Carlos Jr’s career should he assume the presidency.
Beyond lineage, however, it is the direction of the FIA under Ben Sulayem that has sparked rising concern and may open the door for an alternative like Sainz. A series of high-profile exits and controversies have marred the incumbent’s term, including a wave of resignations at the highest levels of the organisation.
Just last month, deputy president for sport Robert Reid walked away, citing what he described as a fundamental breakdown in governance standards. His exit followed a string of departures that included former CEO Natalie Robyn, who broke her silence to describe the FIA as riddled with “serious ongoing structural challenges” and plagued by a lack of professional process and inclusive leadership.
She wasn’t alone. Former audit committee members Bertrand Badre – previously CFO at the World Bank – and Tom Purves, ex-BMW, were also ousted. And Paolo Basarri, the FIA’s former compliance officer, was dismissed after investigating Ben Sulayem’s alleged interference in last year’s Saudi Arabian and Las Vegas Grands Prix – accusations that were ultimately dismissed by the ethics committee.
More recently, the governing body has become embroiled in a legal row with Susie Wolff, head of the F1 Academy, over a botched conflict of interest probe involving her and her husband, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. The inquiry was widely condemned and has only added to the list of grievances among paddock insiders.
There’s also simmering discontent within the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association. In Miami, director George Russell publicly called on the FIA to address growing unease over censorship and a crackdown on driver expression. Meanwhile, the return of former interim secretary general Shaila-Ann Rao, following her earlier departure linked to clashes with Ben Sulayem, remains unexplained.
In this climate, Carlos Sainz Sr’s mooted candidacy appears less a vanity project and more a credible intervention. A proven competitor with decades of lived experience across disciplines and continents, Sainz offers a vision grounded in unity, respect for the sport’s traditions, and an ambition to modernise its governance.
He believes the time is right to give back to the sport that has defined his life. Whether that sentiment translates into votes, however, remains to be seen.
But in a year where motorsport’s top regulatory body finds itself increasingly under fire, the arrival of a name synonymous with excellence, resilience and leadership might just be the shake-up the FIA didn’t know it needed.
