Carlos Sainz Snr has announced that he will not stand in this year's election for the presidency of the FIA.

"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," said the Spaniard in a statement. "I have worked hard these past months to understand in depth the situation at the FIA and the demands and complexities that come with such an important project.

"After a thoughtful reflection, I have come to the conclusion that the present circumstances are not ideal to set the grounds for my candidacy," he added. "Furthermore, I have realized that properly running for President would notably compromise my preparation for the Dakar and I do not wish to weaken my commitment to Ford and my team. These concerns have therefore inclined me to be realistic and desist from my FIA endeavour for now.

"Despite stepping down from this race, my passion for serving and leading within the motorsport world hasn't changed and I still believe the organization needs important changes, which I remain genuinely hopeful that will be tackled in the upcoming years. Both racing and mobility have been my life and I will closely follow future developments with great interest. I will always support my sport and try to contribute in all meaningful ways to improve mobility for road users around the world.

"Finally, I want to sincerely thank you all for the messages of support, encouragement and advice I have received during the past weeks. They have reinforced my confidence to continue striving towards my present and future goals and I'm truly grateful."

His claim that "present circumstances are not ideal to set the grounds for my candidacy", is widely believed to refer to changes made to the FIA's statutes earlier this month which would make it difficult for anyone to stand against the current president, Mohammed ben Sulayem.

Sainz' decision means that currently there is nobody standing against Ben Sulayem, a situation that will worry critics of the Emirati, of which there are many.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Dirt, 27/06/2025 0:17

"By all the accounts I've read, MBS is not a nice guy and Carlos Sainz Snr is. It's not for nothing the old saying, "Nice Guys finish last." Since one cannot continue to be a Nice Guy and also play the game..."

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2. Posted by Celtic Tiger, 26/06/2025 18:34

"It sounds like someone woke up with a horse head beside their pillow, so to speak. "

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3. Posted by KKK, 26/06/2025 15:03

"All I can say is that he would, undoubtedly, done a better job than the current President. R"

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4. Posted by Steve 666, 26/06/2025 13:56

"Shame he would have been good and well respected.
MBS needs to be replaced, too arrogant and dictatorial, spoiling the sport with his own views."

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5. Posted by kenji, 26/06/2025 13:24

"Now that's a shame. Sainz snr had the chops to handle the role extremely well. "

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6. Posted by Wokingchap, 26/06/2025 11:52

"Oohh nooo..... he was perfect, such a shame. I strongly suspect the long reach arms of b.sillyem."

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Sainz Snr will not stand for FIA presidency

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