Why senior FIA figures are now ‘concerned’ about Carlos Sainz Sr’s potential presidency campaign, ‘it’s a bigger issue…’

The FIA presidency could become one of the biggest talking points of the year as Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s first spell in charge is set to come to an end in December.

The list of candidates who wish to put their name forward doesn’t have to be confirmed until a few weeks before the FIA Gala takes place in December, although every indication suggests Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s name will be on the ballot.

Ben Sulayem has recently suggested changes to F1’s upcoming regulations and has been at the centre of a debate over swearing in recent months.

So far, only one other potential candidate has emerged to run against the Emirati.

Rallying legend Carlos Sainz Sr has put his name forward to potentially go up against Ben Sulayem this year.

Sainz Sr has the support of Damon Hill who would like to see the 63-year-old take the helm of the FIA.

However, senior personnel within the organisation already have a concern about the Spaniard taking control.

READ MORE: What stunned Carlos Sainz Sr privately said about Mercedes rejecting his son for Kimi Antonelli

Senior FIA staff ‘concerned’ about Carlos Sainz Sr conflict of interest with Formula 1

Journalist Jon Noble was speaking on The Race F1 Podcast and asked whether there could potentially be a conflict of interest between Sainz Sr. being FIA president and his son racing in Formula 1 and explained, “I spoke to someone quite senior level within the FIA yesterday, just about this issue, which from Carlos Sainz’s perspective, he talked about this.

“He said, I’ll step back from any involvement with Carlos Jr. and it won’t be a problem, he can stand on his own two feet.

“But I think from an FIA perspective, I think some people could be concerned by this and the potential links because it would cloud every decision that was made.

“And if anything was done in a way that favoured any element that his son was involved in, it would be instantly, this is a conflict of interest.

“We see it in everything that Mohamed Ben Sulayem does, if there’s any link to decisions he’s made, people are tracing it back to other elements.

“So, I think it’s a bigger issue within the FIA than it may be us looking from the outside because we know Carlos Sainz Sr. is an intelligent person. He knows where the boundaries should be.

“He probably wouldn’t act in a way that favoured his son over doing what was right, for example.

“But it’s not about what we think, it’s about what FIA member clubs think and what they believe. And that’s the crucial thing.”

READ MORE: Williams star Carlos Sainz’s life outside F1 from full name, girlfriend and height

Carlos Sainz Jr actively leading Formula 1 in new GDPA role

It makes sense that people within the FIA are concerned about Sainz Sr having a conflict of interest because of his son.

Carlos Sainz joined Williams this season and the team have high hopes for the next era of the sport.

Williams are fully concentrating on 2026, and if Sainz were to follow in Ben Sulayem’s footsteps, then any attempts to interfere could be looked upon very poorly.

Kimi Antonelli revealed Sainz is the most active person in the F1 driver WhatsApp group, via Motorsport, suggesting that he’s taking his new role within the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association very seriously.

“It’s George and Carlos for sure,” Antonelli said. “They’re kind of the bosses because they’re in charge [of the GPDA] and they’re the admins as well.

“So those two are definitely the most active.”

It appears as though governance and wanting to have their voice heard runs in the Sainz family.