'Circumstances not ideal' - Sainz rules out FIA presidency bid
Rally legend Carlos Sainz has decided not to run for the presidency of motorsport's governing body the FIA in December's election.The 63-year-old, who said in May he was considering the idea, explained that "the present circumstances are not ideal to set the grounds for my candidacy".Sainz said in a statement on social media, external that he believed the FIA "still needs important changes, which I remain genuinely hopeful will be tackled in the upcoming years".He added that a campaign would interfere with his preparations for next year's Dakar Rally.Sainz won the Dakar for the fourth time in 2024 and will compete in the desert event in Saudi Arabia next January with Ford.He said: "I have realised 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."The only declared candidate for the election is the current president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, whose time in office has been beset by controversies.These involve changes to the FIA statutes that appear to extend his control, along with a series of sackings of senior figures within the FIA, and for his involvement in a series of situations that have angered many in Formula 1, from commercial rights holder Liberty Media to the drivers.The FIA is currently the subject of a lawsuit from Susie Wolff, the head of the F1 Academy for aspiring female drivers and wife of Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Floyd Schofield out to make it up to his son for cancelling Disneyland trip after mysteriously pulling out of last fight
FLOYD SCHOFIELD is out to make it up to his little boy for cancelling a trip to Disneyland after the mysterious collapse of his last fight. Schofield was due to challenge for Shakur Stevenson's WBC lightweight world title in Saudi Arabia in February. 4 4 But the unbeaten American pulled out on the week of the bout - citing illness which left him hospitalised. His dad and trainer even went as far as to sensationally claim his son had been POISONED - as he shared images of the boxer bed-bound. Schofield later returned home to the US and had to break the news to his baby son that their celebratory trip to Disneyland had been KOd. He said: "Actually, when I first got back from Saudi, I would say it was a little sad because I was a new dad, I couldn't be around my son for like three months. "I gave my son a promise, after I get the green belt, we'll go to Disney, so I didn't really get to fulfil that. "So seeing him come back and I had nothing to show for it that like put me in a very bad depressed state. "I wasn't one to believe in depression really but actually going through it is a real thing. "I'm just glad I have my dad, my fiancee, my son and they got me back to where I was supposed to be." Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr JAKE PAUL'S controversial boxing career rolls on this weekend with the Problem Child facing boxing royalty in Anaheim, California. Paul will face Julio Cesar Chavez Jr, a highly-decorated former world middleweight champion. The Mexican, 39, has fought just once in the last four years but has the best boxing resume of any fighter to step into a ring with Paul - bar Mike Tyson, who was aged 58 at the time they fought. Watch Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr LIVE on DAZN PPV INFO Everything you need to know about Paul vs Chavez Jr LATEST NEWS & FEATURES Jake Paul buys incredible £29MILLION ranch with 5,700 acres Jake Paul in talks over TWO shock world title fights Chavez Jr is son of boxing great who was arrested on gun charges and robbed by party girls Jake Paul heavyweight days over after getting 'too fat' Schofield, 22, now returns on Saturday against ex-featherweight champ Tevin Farmer, 34, on the Jake Paul vs Julio Cesar Chavez Jr undercard. And he plans to finally take his nine-month old son away after the fight - this time on a European getaway. Jake Paul issues heartfelt message to ex-boxing opponent Ben Askren who needs lung transplant after battling infection He said: "I wanna take them somewhere that other kids have not been able to go somewhere like Greece or somewhere that a nine month old don't go, so something nice." Schofield was pulled out of his bout against Stevenson, 27, by the British Boxing Board of Control - who oversaw the event - after a health check. His dad's allegations of poisoning were never proven and Schofield never explained his mystery illness - and it looks as though he never will. He said: "I just want to leave stuff in the past. Whatever happened, happened. I'm not trying to get into that. "I'm just looking forward and if me and Shakur are going to run it in the future, so be it. But right now I've just got to look at Tevin Farmer." Schofield confirmed his health woes are past him - even managing to find light of the situation with sceptical fans online. He said: "Yeah, I'm good. I have been trolling people in the comments. They're like, 'Hopefully he shows up.' I'm like, 'I might, I'll think about it.'" 4 4
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Verstappen endorses idea of Red Bull return for Vettel
Max Verstappen has welcomed the prospect of Sebastian Vettel returning to Red Bull, particularly in a senior capacity. Vettel, a four-time Formula One champion with Red Bull, is being considered as a potential successor to veteran consultant Helmut Marko. Verstappen stated that someone who achieved so much with Red Bull, like Vettel, always has a spot available within the team. Vettel confirmed that discussions about a potential role are ongoing, though not yet intensive. Helmut Marko, whose contract with Red Bull extends until the end of next year, acknowledged that succession planning, including Vettel, is a current topic of discussion.
The Independent
2 hours ago
- The Independent
Max Verstappen says ‘there's always a spot available' for Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull
Max Verstappen has welcomed the prospect of fellow four-time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel returning to Red Bull, particularly in a senior capacity, following suggestions the German could succeed veteran consultant Helmut Marko. Vettel, 37, who secured four consecutive world titles with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013 before retiring from the sport in 2022, has been linked with a potential return to the team where he achieved his greatest successes. Current consultant Helmut Marko, 82, has a contract with Red Bull until the end of next year. Speaking at the Austrian Grand Prix, Verstappen endorsed the idea of Vettel's comeback. "It's more than normal that someone that has achieved so much with Red Bull, has been brought up by Red Bull (should return)," Verstappen told reporters. "In a sense there's always a spot available, right? I think also Seb always kept a really good relationship with Helmut anyway, even when he left. I didn't know that of course they were talking but I'm sure that there's always a space for Seb in any kind of form." Vettel himself has confirmed discussions regarding a potential role. "We're in contact about this, though maybe not so intensively or in-depth yet, but it's possible," he recently told Austria's ORF television. He added: "He's already said a few times that he'd stop, but he's still here, and I wish him all the best so that he stays around for a very long time." Marko, a close confidant of the team's late owner Dietrich Mateschitz and a key figure in Red Bull's young driver programme, also acknowledged the ongoing dialogue. He told Austria's Kleine Zeitung that Vettel was "following everything very closely," adding: "The question of succession is also one of the issues."
