After the important announcement that Carlos Sainz He made last Wednesday, the day he said he will try to appear at the presidential elections of the FIA On December 12, it is logical to ask where the origin is and who have convinced the legendary Spanish pilot to risk this turn to the political side of motor sport. To face I can not irrigatecurrent president of the International Automobile Federationwill need important support and everything points to the United Kingdom is one of them.
The British nation is the cradle of Formula 1. There are most of the cars that make up the grill in different factories such as Silverstonewhere Aston Martin Design the car of Fernando Alonsoo Grovethe place where Carlos Sainz son landed this year to compete with Williams in it World. Its automobile federation, Motorsport UKdoes not live its best institutional moment with the FIA, and that can be one of the keys that has promoted the four times champion of the Rally Dakar To bet on this movement.
It should be remembered that only two months ago, last March, Motorsport UK threatened Ben Sulayem, Sainz’s rival potential in the elections that will be held on December 12 in Uzbekistanwith undertaking legal actions against the FIA. The United Kingdom, which has more voice and vote than the rest of the countries in these electoral processes, revealed an “gallow” by the organizer of the main motor sports championships when asking him David RichardsPresident of the British Federation, to sign “a new confidentiality agreement.”
Richards is not a stranger to Sainz and may not be behind the block that has motivated Spanish to take this path. Motorsport UK president was a leader of Subaru When the current pilot of Ford He competed in the Dakar with the Japanese brand in 1995, but the end between them, although there was no great conflict, was not the best.
United Kingdom could be with Sainz
Even so, the United Kingdom values Sainz at the height of the legend in which he has become and considers him as an important force to end the days of Ben Sulayem, a president of the FIA who loses more adept every day. Especially in recent months, a wave of dismissals, resignations and political conflicts that ended the British Federation threatening the Emiratí has been unleashed.
Richards, who recently prevented a meeting from World Motor Council After refusing to sign a confidentiality agreement, he directed his speech towards Ben Sulayem and members of the organization, stating that the FIA ”worsened progressively” under his leadership and underlining his “concern for the erosion of responsibility and good governance” of the estate.
«For some time I am worried about the erosion of responsibility and good governance in the FIA. As you have seen in the press, a matter that has forced me to adopt a position and that needs an explanation, ”Richards began in his writing. Although it is currently unknown if it is he who is behind the promotion to Sainz, the leader revealed the anger of Motorsport UK for unfulfilled promises.
Basically, when in 2021 they supported Ben Sulayem instead of the British candidate, Graham Stokerwas because the proposal of United Arab Emirates They were in line with the idea of FIA they had in the United Kingdom. But over the years, fed up with inaction was growing until relations were dynamited with this letter announcing legal measures.
«I fear that in the last three years there has been a clear breach of these promises. In fact, the situation has progressively worsened with reports from the media confirming that numerous high positions of the FIA and voluntary officials have been fired or resigned under an opaque cloud, ”Richards apostilled.
The new confidentiality agreement
“At the time of my appointment as a member of the World Motor Council in 2021, I signed a confidentiality agreement and, in fact, I was already bound by article 4 of the Ethical Code of the FIA,” Richards explained. “However, the new confidentiality agreement went much further and, one week in advance, I was told that if I did not sign it, I would be excluded from the next World Motor Council,” he revealed in March.
His words were a tremendous blow to Ben Sulayem in the year of his possible re -election to the United Kingdom with such a great influence in the different categories, especially F1. That he is behind Sainz or time will not say, but in his support he lies the key to a victory in December that catapulted him to the presidency of the FIA.
