Carlos Sainz Sr. has opted not to stand against incumbent Mohammed Ben Sulayem in the election for next president of the FIA, motor racing's governing body.
After announcing his interest to run in May, the two-time World Rally champion and father of F1 driver Carlos Sainz confirmed on Wednesday that he will not, saying the "present circumstances are not ideal to set the grounds for my candidacy."
Critics of the FIA president will likely see that as a reference to the governing body's decision earlier this month to approve statute changes that some suggested would make it harder for anyone to challenge Ben Sulayem's reelection bid.
Sainz Sr. also cited his ongoing commitment to the Ford team and the Dakar Rally.
Sainz's statement in full read: "This message is to publicly confirm that I have finally decided not to run for the presidency of the FIA in this year's election. I have worked hard these past months to understand in depth the situation at the FIA and the demands and complexities that come with such an important project.
"After a thoughtful reflection, I have come to the conclusion that the present circumstances are not ideal to set the grounds for my candidacy. Furthermore, I have realized that properly running for President would notably compromise my preparation for the Dakar and I do not wish to weaken my commitment to Ford and my team. These concerns have therefore inclined me to be realistic and desist from my FIA endeavour for now.
"Despite stepping down from this race, my passion for serving and leading within the motorsport world hasn't changed and I still believe the organization needs important changes, which I remain genuinely hopeful that will be tackled in the upcoming years. Both racing and mobility have been my life and I will closely follow future developments with great interest. I will always support my sport and try to contribute in all meaningful ways to improve mobility for road users around the world.
"Finally, I want to sincerely thank you all for the messages of support, encouragement and advice I have received during the past weeks. They have reinforced my confidence to continue striving towards my present and future goals and I'm truly grateful."
Ben Sulayem looks set to run unopposed in the election.
The Emirati has been involved in several controversies since being elected in 2021 as the first FIA president from the Middle East.
He has been at loggerheads with drivers, from things such as the jewelry ban in 2022 and more recently over the clampdown on profanity in news conferences.
Briton Robert Reid, a former close ally who quit as an FIA deputy president in April, wrote in his resignation statement of a "fundamental breakdown in governance standards" at the governing body.
Reid and Motorsport UK head David Richards had opposed other statute changes approved by the general assembly last December that they said limited the powers of audit and ethics committees.
Ben Sulayem has also presided over a period of time that has seen tensions between the FIA and Formula 1 grow over different issues.
He was instrumental in bringing Andretti and General Motors to the table as a potential 11th team, much to the chagrin of Formula 1 and its existing teams at the time.
That led to discussions with Formula 1 that eventually led to General Motors committing fully to an entry -- Cadillac will join the grid next year, with a commitment to producing American-made engines by the end of the decade.