Ben Sulayem states that Sainz 'failed to grasp' the responsibilities of the FIA presidency.

      "Mohammed Ben Sulayem has taken a dig at Carlos Sainz Sr regarding the rally icon's unsuccessful attempt to run against him for the FIA presidency. Sainz had considered a presidential bid during the highly disputed election process, during which Ben Sulayem's rivals argued that the nomination criteria effectively barred substantial challengers from appearing on the ballot. In an interview with the Spanish newspaper AS, the FIA president was asked about his old rally competitor's approach to the idea. 'Carlos is a good friend, but I don’t think he grasped it,' he responded. 'Naturally, he knows the FIA and the sport better than anyone, but the presidency encompasses more than just the sport. It involves mobility, business operations, and managing 245 members globally. It requires working every single day of the year without any personal benefit.' Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz Jr has dismissed claims that he seriously contemplated following his father's preferred route to Audi before recently reaffirming his commitment to Williams. 'No, it was just typical paddock gossip,' he responded when questioned about the Audi rumors. 'I can assure you that I never seriously thought about moving anywhere else this year.' However, former F1 driver Christian Danner expresses concern regarding the circumstances at Williams. 'I believe there are more issues than what is visible,' he told Motorsport-Magazin. 'Something is evidently off.' Danner also pointed out the confusion surrounding Sainz’s new contract. 'Now Sainz states he only has a one-year contract, not a multi-year one,' he observed. 'In reply, James Vowles stated, ‘No, we have a multi-year agreement.’ So, either Sainz is fabricating something, or Williams has made a significant error.'"