Sainz backs father for FIA president, says no conflict of interest

Williams driver Carlos Sainz on Thursday backed his father and said there would be no conflict of interest between them if he stood against Mohammed Ben Sulayem in this year's FIA presidential election.

Speaking at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari ahead of this weekend's Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, Sainz Jnr explained that his father had not yet decided if he would run for the post, but he would give up managing his son's career if he did.

"He has started considering it and he’s obviously going to evaluate his options and his candidature and his possibilities," said Sainz of his 63-year-old father, a two-time world rally champion and four-time winner of the Paris-Dakar Rally.

"It's a possibility. It's not that he's going to present himself for sure, or to go for a candidature," he told Sky F1.

"He’s just considering it. To be honest, it has not come much from him – it's come from a lot of people in the paddock, suggesting it to him and putting the idea in his head."

Sainz Jnr added that he felt his father’s wide knowledge and long experience in motor sport made him an ideal candidate for the position of president.

"Being his son and obviously a big fan of his, I think he fits very well the profile. I think no-one understands motorsport better than my dad across so many ranges from rallying to go-karting," he said.

"He came with me to all the go-kart races, to all the single-seater ladders, to Formula One now. He has quite a broad experience about everything including mobility with everything that he does in Spain."

He added that he and his father would separate professionally to avoid any accusations of conflicting interests.

"My dad and me, we would part ways, he would not be my manager anymore," he said.

"I’m a 30-year-old Formula One driver that also has him as manager and my cousin and we would just simply stop.

"Whoever knows my dad, or me personally, knows we would never do anything that would mean a conflict of interest."

Ben Sulayem, also a former rally driver, has presided over a period of much unrest in Formula One including controversial decision-making and policies.