Ogier backs fellow WRC champion Sainz Sr for FIA president

Sebastien Ogier has voiced support for Carlos Sainz Sr should the World Rally Championship legend decide to run for FIA president.

As revealed by Autosport last week, two-time WRC champion Sainz Sr is seriously considering whether to formally stand for election against Mohammed Ben Sulayem in the race to become FIA president. Sainz Sr is gauging his level of support from the FIA’s member automotive clubs before making a final decision.

The news of Sainz Sr’s potential presidency bid follows another high-profile WRC figure in M-Sport-Ford founder Malcolm Wilson being nominated by Ben Sulayem to take over the governing body’s deputy president for sport role, recently vacated by 2001 WRC co-driver champion Robert Reid.

Interestingly, Sainz Sr drove for M-Sport in WRC (1996-1997 and 2000-2002) before returning to the operation that runs the factory Ford Rally-Raid programme last year.

When asked about the possibility of Sainz Sr considering running from FIA president, Ogier was among a group of WRC drivers that indicated their support for Sainz.

“The only thing I can say is I have always had massive respect for Carlos and I like him a lot as a person as well,” Ogier told Autosport at Rally Portugal.

“If I’m honest I will be happy and will support him running for that if I can. I don’t know what kind of power I have, but probably very little. I was happy to read this news, so let’s see what happens.”

Hyundai boss Cyril Abiteboul stopped short of offering his support to a potential Sainz run for FIA presidency, but admitted he would welcome an FIA presidency election that has several candidates.

“I think having multiple candidates is a good thing. In any election voters should be given options and given a choice, so I think it is good,” Abiteboul told Autosport.

“Like our current president, Carlos is coming with a huge rally background and for our sport it is equally as good news as Mohammed Ben Sulayem running for presidency a few years back.”

WRC drivers support FIA tweak to swearing penalties

The WRC service park in Portugal has also reacted positively to confirmation that the FIA has revised the penalties in Appendix B of its International Sporting Code, reducing the potential fines for drivers caught swearing.

The improvements come after WRC drivers, through the new World Rally Drivers Alliance (WoRDA), urged the FIA for changes to be implemented after Hyundai’s Adrien Fourmaux was fined for swearing during a televised stage-end interview at Rally Sweden.

“I haven’t read exactly what changed there but it looks like there is some move that is positive and for once all the effort we have done has probably paid off as well,” Ogier said. “I’m not sure if it is only thanks to WoRDA, but I’m sure WoRDA contributed to that. That’s positive.”