Carlos Sainz Sr., a double world rally champion, is seriously planning to be a candidate to become the next president of the International Ofermobile Federation (FIA), potentially defying outgoing President Mohammed Ben SULAYEM in the next elections scheduled for December 12, 2025 in Uzbekistan.

Sainz has not yet made a final decision, but actively assesses if it can organize a campaign capable of collecting the necessary support within the complex electoral system of the FIA. She publicly recognized the seriousness of this reflection and currently collects comments from various stakeholders, including motorsport clubs, the wider community of motorsport and mobility organizations. He said, “For the moment, I’m trying to find the answer according to each point of view … when the time comes to decide, depending on the situation, whether we are going to press the button or not. But it’s serious. I think about it. »»

The election process for the FIA ​​presidency is notoriously difficult for the challengers. Since 1993, no FIA president in office has been defeated in an election. FIA statutes require a candidate not only declared his intention, but also submitted a complete list of officials who support him, including the Senate president, vice-presidents for automobile mobility and tourism, vice-president for sports and seven vice-presidents representing various regions of the world. This “list” must demonstrate wide global support, ensuring that candidates cannot only count on regional support.

In addition, FIA members must publicly commit to supporting a single list of candidates, thus avoiding loyalty divisions. If the outgoing president obtains the total support of a key region, this could actually prevent his rivals from fulfilling the necessary criteria for him to remain in power. There are also speculations that the FIA ​​could modify the electoral rules in 2025, which could make the task even more difficult for the challengers.

The election is decided by 245 member organizations in 149 countries, each with a divided voting power between mobility clubs and sports clubs. Some countries have several clubs that share the votes, while others have individual clubs with total voting power. This uneven distribution means that ensuring the support of certain clubs can be more precious and strategically more important than others. In addition, some clubs tend to follow the example of others, which can consolidate the votes behind a single candidate.

The Sainz challenge will be to convince not only motorsport clubs but also mobility clubs, which often favor national interests, to finance local projects rather than international motorsport concerns. Sainz’s involvement in road safety initiatives such as the Spanish platform Ponle Freno and security courses at the family karting center demonstrates his commitment to mobility issues, which can help him obtain the support of these groups.

A notable concern is the conflict of potential interest arising from the fact that Sainz is the father of Carlos Sainz Jr., a current Formula 1 driver for Williams. Sainz Sr. rejected these concerns, stressing his professionalism and his desire to withdraw from any role linked to his son’s career. He pointed out that his son is an experienced F1 pilot with a decade of experience in sport, and that the FIA ​​is a serious organization where no conflict would be tolerated.

Sainz would not be the only one to consider challenging Ben Sulayem, even if it is largely accepted only one challenger can really carry out a campaign due to the complexity of the elections. The presence of several candidates could divide the support of the opposition and weaken any protest of the outgoing president.

Ben Sulayem was the subject of increasing surveillance during his mandate, marked by governance controversies, the resignation of key officials of FIA invoking governance failures and allegations of interference in the operations based on the race. These problems have created an opening for a reformist candidate like Sainz, who emphasizes transparency and collaboration.

According to the FIA ​​statutes, candidates must confirm their intention to present themselves no later than 21 days before the election, which means that Sainz could wait until November 21, 2025 to make a final decision. However, to create a dynamic and obtain the support of the club, an earlier commitment would be advantageous. Sainz’s recent public declaration of interest seems to be a strategic decision to assess support and determine if a viable campaign can be carried out.

He has received “a lot of extremely positive feedback” so far, but remains cautious: “If I feel like I have support, I will. But if I have the impression that there is not many, then I will not do it. »»

In short, the potential candidacy of Carlos Sainz Sr. to the presidency of the FIA ​​is a serious consideration marked by important procedural and political challenges. Its campaign will have to navigate a complex global electoral system which requires wide regional support, gain motorsport and mobility clubs and overcome the advantages held by the outgoing president. The experience of Sainz, its reputation and its interest in road safety and the governance reform position it as a credible alternative, but the result will largely depend on the level of support it can obtain in the coming months.