Carlos Sainz Jr, the Williams Formula 1 driver, has refuted suggestions that his father`s potential bid for the presidency of the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l`Automobile) would create a conflict of interest.
His father, two-time World Rally champion Carlos Sainz Sr, recently confirmed he is contemplating running in the governing body`s December election. This would mean challenging the current FIA president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
The issue of a potential conflict arises from the fact that Sainz Sr could lead the FIA, which oversees Formula 1, while his son is an active competitor in the sport.
Speaking ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend, Sainz Jr addressed these concerns directly. “Very simply because my dad and me, we would part ways,” he stated. “He would not be my manager anymore.”
The driver, who is 30 years old, added, “I`m a Formula 1 driver that also has his manager, my cousin. We would just simply stop.”
He expressed confidence that neither he nor his father would act improperly. “Whoever knows my dad or knows me personally, knows we would never do anything that would mean conflict of interest,” Sainz Jr affirmed.
Paddock Support for Sainz Sr`s Potential Candidacy
Sainz Jr also highlighted that his father`s consideration of the FIA role was partly motivated by encouragement from within the F1 paddock itself.
“First of all, it`s a possibility, it`s not that he`s going to present himself for sure, or he`s going to become a candidate. He`s just considering it,” he clarified.
“To be honest, it also didn`t come much from him. It came from a lot of people in the paddock suggesting it to him and putting the idea in his head, and he started considering it.”
From a personal perspective, Sainz Jr believes his father is highly qualified. “He`s going to obviously evaluate his options, his candidature and his possibilities. I can only say from being his son and being obviously a big fan of his, I think he fits the profile very well.”
He praised his father`s comprehensive understanding of motorsport: “I think no one understands motorsport better than my dad across so many ranges, from rallying, to go-karting – because he came with me to all the go-kart races – to all the single-seater ladder, to Formula 1 now.”
“He has quite a broad experience of everything, including mobility with everything that he does in Spain,” Sainz Jr added. “He definitely fits the profile but it`s going to be up to him whether he thinks he`s fit to consider to be a candidate or not.”
Fellow Drivers React
Other prominent F1 drivers were also asked for their thoughts on Carlos Sainz Sr potentially leading the FIA.
George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers` Association, commented positively, calling Sainz Sr “a great guy” with “so much knowledge of motorsport,” suggesting it “could be something good.”
World champion Max Verstappen, a former teammate of Sainz Jr, shared a similar view. He described Sainz Sr as “a very well-respected person” both within F1 and for his rally accomplishments. Regarding the conflict question, Verstappen stated, “I think Carlos Sr is very professional and he can definitely put that aside. I don`t think we need to worry about that.”
