Mohammed Ben Sulayem rival Carlos Sainz Sr backs out of FIA race
President of motorsport’s governing body Mohammed Ben Sulayem is almost certain to remain head of the FIA after potential rival Carlos Sainz Sr chose not to stand against the Emirati.
The current president is currently unopposed for the position of president ahead of December’s election despite a number of controversies under his recent tenure.
He has made changes to a number of key operational committees and has butted heads with a number of key figures over allegations of sexism and problems with drivers, such as jewellery, swearing and their underwear.
Sainz, father of Williams driver Carlos Sainz Jr, wrote: “Hi everyone, this message is to publicly confirm that I have finally decided not to run for the presidency of the FIA in this year’s election.
“I have worked hard these past months to understand in depth the citation at the FIA and the demands and complexities that come with such an important project.”
The 63-year-old added that his conclusion came due to “present circumstances” that are “not ideal”, further stating that his potential position would compromise his “preparation for the Dakar [rally] and I do not wish to weaken my commitment to Ford and my team”.
Sainz Sr insisted, however, that the FIA still needs to undergo change.
Ben Sulayem is likely, then, to remain president of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, an organisation he has led since taking over from Jean Todt in 2021.
Within his presidency, Ben Sulayem had to oversee the fallout from Abu Dhabi when Lewis Hamilton had an eighth World Championship snatched away from him, while he had a run-in with Lewis Hamilton over jewellery, George Russell over underwear and Max Verstappen over swearing.
The FIA has clashed with Formula 1 itself, race control of motorsport’s top division, and a rumoured value of $20bn placed upon it by Saudi Arabian sources.