FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has explained why he believes Carlos Sainz Sr did not fully understand the demands of leading motorsport’s governing body when the rally legend considered challenging him for the presidency. Speaking during the Rally Paraguay, Mohammed Ben Sulayem stressed that running the FIA involves far more than overseeing motorsport, pointing to its global mobility activities, business responsibilities and 245 member organisations.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem discusses Carlos Sainz Sr’s FIA presidency plans
For several weeks last year, motorsport fans were able to contemplate the prospect of Carlos Sainz Sr becoming the new FIA president. The WRC legend, who remains an active competitor and a leading figure in the Dakar Rally and World Rally-Raid Championship despite approaching the age of 65, considered putting himself forward for the role.
However, the potential candidacy eventually faded once it became clear that mounting a genuine challenge to Mohammed Ben Sulayem would be extremely difficult, also because of controversial election rules that effectively eliminated the opposition before the vote took place.
During the Rally Paraguay, Mohammed Ben Sulayem returned to the subject of the man who had considered challenging him in the FIA’s most recent presidential election. In an interview with Spanish-language newspaper AS, the FIA president explained why he believed Carlos Sainz Sr had underestimated the scale of the job.
“Carlos Sainz is a dear friend, but I don’t think he understood. Obviously, he knows the FIA and the sport better than anyone, but the presidency of the International Federation isn’t only about sport. It’s also about mobility, dealing with the business world, with 245 members from all over the world. It’s 365 days a year of non-stop work without receiving anything in return.”
Carlos Sainz Sr’s reputation in motorsport is beyond question. The Spaniard built his career as one of rallying’s most successful figures and remains active at international level, but Mohammed Ben Sulayem’s argument is that the FIA presidency requires responsibilities extending well beyond competition itself.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem reflects on demands of FIA presidency
“I had already spent ten years in my country’s federation and I already knew how difficult this role was, because you have to work all day,” Mohammed Ben Sulayem concluded.
The Emirati, who will turn 65 on 12 November, was re-elected for a second term at the end of 2025 as the only candidate after his remaining rivals withdrew from the race because they were unable to satisfy certain nomination requirements when submitting their proposed presidential teams.
Controversy continued after the 2025 FIA election
The circumstances surrounding the election generated considerable controversy because Mohammed Ben Sulayem ultimately stood unopposed. The FIA’s election system required prospective presidential candidates to assemble a complete team containing representatives from different regions, and rival campaigns were unable to meet those requirements.
Further controversy followed in early summer 2026, when the FIA removed the previous three-term limit from its statutes. In theory, that change could allow Mohammed Ben Sulayem to retain the presidency for life, or almost, extending a debate over FIA governance that continued beyond his re-election for a second term.
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