Carlos Sainz voices support for father’s FIA presidential bid: 'He sticks to common sense'

Carlos Sainz has thrown support behind his father's interest in becoming the next president of the FIA, stating he would use “common sense” in the position of power.

Earlier this month, Sainz Sr confirmed he was mulling over the possibility of signalling a bid to become the next president of the motorsport governing body.

The FIA's period under Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been marred by controversies including several high-profile exits and a disagreement with F1 drivers over a swearing ban.

The next presidential election is due to take place in December later this year, with no party officially declaring their bid to rival Ben Sulayem.

But as Sainz Sr considers running for the position, he has received strong support from his son.

“I’m his son, so I’m biased,” Sainz conceded to media including RacingNews365. 

“Speaking from the most objective position possible, nobody [better] comes to my head, anyone who has lived through all the karting days with his son and knows the roots of motor sport in go-karting as he did four or five years of karting with me.

“He did four or five years of single-seaters with me, knowing how tough, expensive and difficult that ladder is.

“He’s done 10 years in F1 with me. He’s done 40 years of rallying. So a guy that covers so many experiences in so many different areas of motorsport, coming to the end of his career in racing, and trying to find a way to give back to motorsport what motorsport has given to him.

“It’s the most objective position that I can find being his son. He’s obviously a very optimal candidate.

“Whether he will decide to do it or not, is completely up to him.”

Carlos Sainz keen for 'common sense' from FIA governing

The 63-year-old is the first figure to declare interest in setting up a campaign for the election later this year.

However, Sainz revealed the idea originally sprouted from other paddock members who sought him out and told him he would be a strong fit.

“We’ve been talking about it for a while now,” Sainz said. “Interestingly enough, it’s something that didn’t actually come from him. A lot of people in the paddock were putting it in his head, and little by little, he started considering it. Now he’s obviously thinking about it.

“The key is that he still hasn’t put together a team, but he’s considering it, and depending how he sees it, he will go for it or not.

“I can just tell you that he’s considering it seriously. He’s evaluating all options, now starting to think about what people, individuals, he would like to have in his team.

“He’s trying to understand how the elections work, how many people he needs to go and talk to.

“He’s evaluating the whole thing and trying to understand how everything works. It’s his thing now. I’m busy here with Williams doing my own thing, so I’m leaving it to him.

“He gives me an update of the situation every one or two weeks, how much progress he’s doing, or what the situation is. He wants my opinion.”

While Sainz acknowledges his father would not enjoy the political aspect of the position, he stated he would stick to using common sense when making decisions.

“That's a negative side, the politics,” Sainz added. “But I think that if there's a guy who could remove politics from it, it could be my dad.

“He sticks to common sense and very basic rules of going about life.

“That’s why so many people went to him to push him to potentially do it. The politics, he will probably not enjoy that part of the work - but he knows it’s part of it and he will have to [do it].”