F1 Drivers 2026 - Carlos Sainz jr
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Carlos Sainz jr
Carlos Sainz Vázquez de Castro was born in Madrid, Spain, on 1 September 1994, as the son of Carlos Sainz Cenamor and Reyes Vázquez de Castro. Carlos has two sisters.
The beginning of Carlos Sainz's career
Carlos Sainz started his karting career in 2006 in the minis and cadets. He finished third in the 36th edition of the Torneo Industry and second in the Copa Campeones Trophy. In 2008 he won the CIK-FIA Asia-Pacific championship for Vortex in the KF3 championship. In 2009 he won the thirteenth edition of the CIK FIA KF3 Monaco Kart Cup.
In 2010 he switched to the single-seaters. During his debut year, Sainz drove in various Formula BMW classes. He achieved several victories and finished fourth in the Formula BMW Europe Championship. In 2011 he won the Formula Renault 2.0 NEC Championship title for Koiranen Motorsport. With seventeen podiums, including ten wins, he was ahead of Daniil Kvyat, Stoffel Vandoorne and Robin Frijns. He finished fifth in the 2012 European Formula 3 Championship with six podiums.
Carlos Sainz and Toro Rosso
In 2013 he was appointed by Red Bull as its test driver for Toro Rosso and Red Bull Racing. In the same year he raced in GP3 and Formula Renault 3.5. It turned out to be an unsuccessful year. In 2014 he won the Formula Renault 3.5 championship title by staying ahead of Pierre Gasly. With seven wins and seven pole positions, he became champion.
Carlos Sainz in Formula 1
In 2015 he made his debut in Formula 1. After the loss of Jean-Eric Vergne and the transfer of Daniil Kvyat to Red Bull Racing, Carlos Sainz became the teammate of Max Verstappen. In his first year he finished sixth at the Circuits of the Americas. In 2016 Sainz developed as a regular points finisher and scored 46 points. Towards the end of the 2017 season, he switched to Renault. For the French stable, he scored his best result for Renault in Baku 2018. For Toro Rosso, he finished fourth at the 2017 Singapore rain race. Ahead of the 2019 season, he took over the seat of Fernando Alonso at McLaren.
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38 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Williams
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Analysis: Has Carlos Sainz Made a Career-Ending Mistake?
Carlos Sainz enters the 2026 season facing a nightmare scenario. After being ousted by Ferrari to make way for Lewis Hamilton, the Spaniard rebuilt his reputation with a stellar...
06 Feb 2026 14:47 -
Carlos Sainz Remains Defiant Despite "Overweight" Williams Rumors
Carlos Sainz faced the media at the launch of the new Williams FW48 with a beaming smile, refusing to let a swirl of negative rumors dampen his enthusiasm for his new chapter. T...
05 Feb 2026 12:58 -
Sainz Saw Everything Fall Into Place: “I Embrace It”
Carlos Sainz says he “embraces” the unexpected podium he scored with Williams, calling the Qatar Grand Prix one of the most enjoyable races of his season. The Spania...
01 Dec 2025 14:43 -
Sainz Proud of His Debut Season With Williams
Carlos Sainz says he is “very proud” of his first season with Williams, calling 2024 one of the most rewarding years of his Formula 1 career. The Spaniard has delive...
28 Nov 2025 12:41 -
Sainz Tried to Prevent Controversial VSC in Mexico: “Is That So?”
Carlos Sainz endured a difficult weekend at the Mexican Grand Prix, capped by a costly spin and retirement that triggered the Virtual Safety Car (VSC). Ironically, the Spaniard ...
30 Oct 2025 11:40 -
Lawson Slams Sainz After Mexico GP Crash: “He Ruined Our Race, It’s Just Crap”
Liam Lawson was furious after being forced to retire early from the Mexican Grand Prix following a collision with Carlos Sainz. The Racing Bulls driver lasted just five laps bef...
30 Oct 2025 10:39 -
Sainz Understands McLaren’s ‘Papaya Rules’: “They Want to Keep Verstappen Under Control”
Carlos Sainz says he understands why McLaren continues to enforce its so-called Papaya Rules — internal team orders that remain in place even after securing the constructo...
24 Oct 2025 11:40 -
Williams Explains Bold Appeal Against Sainz Penalty
Williams team principal James Vowles has shed light on why the team submitted a request to review the time penalty handed to Carlos Sainz at Zandvoort. Williams firmly disagrees...
09 Sep 2025 15:24 -
The livery of Ferrari SF21 for season 2021
The Scuderia Ferrari Formula1 Team has revealed today the livery of its new Fromula1 car for season 2021. The main color of this year’s car is red like last year’s ...
10 Mar 2021 17:17 -
Sainz describes the 2020 mildfield battle as the tightest of the recent years
Carlos Sainz believes that this year’s mildfierd battle is the tightest he has ever experienced in the last couple of years with four rounds remaining until the end of thi...
11 Nov 2020 18:29 -
F1 to revisit reverse grid sprint race plans after Italian GP
F1 is set to reconsider introducing reverse grid sprint races for certain future race weekends after Sunday's incredible Italian Grand Prix, which saw Pierre Gasly take the ...
08 Sep 2020 09:33 -
Sainz happy with P2, but 'disappointed' and 'angry' at red flag timing
McLaren's Carlos Sainz has exclaimed his happiness at claiming second position in today's Italian Grand Prix but said he could not help but feel angry after the red flag...
06 Sep 2020 21:29 -
How Sainz 'risked a lot' and nearly 'messed up' third placed qualifying
McLaren's Carlos Sainz had a brilliant qualifying to take third for the Italian Grand Prix but explained how he nearly messed up the change on his final run in Q3. Sainz ra...
06 Sep 2020 13:45 -
Drivers pay tribute to Anthoine Hubert ahead of Belgian Grand Prix
Multiple drivers have paid tribute to the late Anthoine Hubert ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, after an accident during the Formula 2 feature race at the event l...
26 Aug 2020 13:27 -
Sainz: Joining Leclerc at Ferrari 'won't be easy'
McLaren's Carlos Sainz has admitted he knows what will be in store joining Ferrari next season, but insists he is excited to partner Charles Leclerc in 2021. Sainz was conf...
21 Aug 2020 17:22 -
Sainz delighted with seventh at home Grand Prix
McLaren's Carlos Sainz was happy with his performance during the Spanish Grand Prix, after a point-scoring finish for the driver on his home circuit. Sainz finished the rac...
17 Aug 2020 11:45 -
Sainz: Ferrari ‘the right place to be’ despite early 2020 F1 difficulties
Carlos Sainz has defended his choice to join Ferrari in 2021, following the difficult start the Scuderia outfit has had to the 2020 Formula 1 season. During the two race weeken...
22 Jul 2020 15:33 -
Sainz avoids grid penalty after stewards investigation
Carlos Sainz has retained his ninth-place starting position for the Hungarian Grand Prix after the stewards opted not to penalise him following an incident with Antonio Giovinaz...
18 Jul 2020 19:34 -
Sainz under investigation for blocking Giovinazzi during Hungary qualifying
Carlos Sainz has been summoned to the stewards for allegedly impeding Antonio Giovinazzi during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix. During Q1, Giovinazzi was forced to bac...
18 Jul 2020 16:24 -
Sainz: P3 'amazing' after 'one of the toughest' qualifying sessions
Carlos Sainz says his third-place result at qualifying for the Styrian Grand Prix feels “amazing” following a session in difficult conditions. All three qualifying ...
11 Jul 2020 18:05 -
Perez expects 'very close challenge' with McLaren in 2020
Sergio Perez says he expects Racing Point to have a “very close challenge” with McLaren throughout the 2020 season. At the opening round of the campaign last weeken...
09 Jul 2020 16:09 -
McLaren seeking more podiums in 2020 - Sainz
Carlos Sainz says McLaren is hopeful it can achieve more podiums in 2020 following its third-place finish in Austria last weekend. Lando Norris recorded his maiden podium resul...
07 Jul 2020 11:26 -
Seidl congratulates McLaren after best qualifying 'for six years'
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has praised the team for what he has labelled their best qualifying performance “in six years”. Lando Norris impressed ma...
05 Jul 2020 09:22 -
McLaren: Racing Point 'too far away' to fight
Carlos Sainz believes Racing Point is too far ahead for McLaren to mount a challenge this season following the opening day of practice in Austria. Earlier this year at pre-seas...
03 Jul 2020 20:14 -
Norris: McLaren prepared for new season despite no F1 test
McLaren's Lando Norris is unconvinced that the team will suffer this weekend having not tested prior to the season opener at the Red Bull Ring. Norris, who actively compete...
03 Jul 2020 09:06 -
Unknown number of races in 2020 will make 'every point crucial' - Sainz
Carlos Sainz says the unknown number of races that will be held in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic means that every scored point will be crucial for the championship. ...
29 Jun 2020 16:58 -
Brown: Ricciardo and Norris will make most exciting F1 pair in 2021
McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes that the team's 2021 pairing of Lando Norris and Daniel Ricciardo will be the 'most exciting' on the grid. Back in May, it was ...
28 Jun 2020 10:05 -
Seidl assured McLaren has made 'a good step' from 2019
McLaren made a strong step over the winter break ahead of the postponed 2020 Formula 1 season, says its team principal Andreas Seidl. The Woking-based squad ended the 2019...
19 Jun 2020 13:48 -
Sainz and Norris testing F3 cars at Silverstone
Ahead of the start of the 2020 Formula 1 season next month, McLaren's Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris are at Silverstone, testing Formula 3 cars with Carlin. Many F1 teams ar...
18 Jun 2020 11:30 -
Binotto not expecting 'hard moments' between Leclerc and Sainz at Ferrari
Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto says he does not expect any “hard moments” to arise between Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz at Ferrari next year. Sainz will ...
10 Jun 2020 09:58 -
Sainz: I didn't sign at Ferrari to be number two driver
Carlos Sainz insists he has not signed with Ferrari to become a number two driver to Charles Leclerc, stating in the contract there was nothing about a possible status. Recentl...
05 Jun 2020 09:13 -
De la Rosa: $145 million budget cap is too high
Former grand prix driver Pedro de la Rosa believes the introduction of a $145 million budget cap in 2021 is still too expensive for some Formula 1 teams. The budget cap was app...
01 Jun 2020 11:30 -
Norris seeking help from Verstappen on partnership with Ricciardo at McLaren
McLaren's Lando Norris has said that he is looking to ask Max Verstappen for help on what to expect as a teammate to Daniel Ricciardo in 2021. Ricciardo was confirmed to be...
30 May 2020 14:04 -
Domenicali: Alonso return would give F1 'another level'
Former Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali has spoken about the potential return to F1 for Fernando Alonso, saying that it would be great for the sport if he is able to make a retur...
30 May 2020 11:23 -
Sainz will only need 'a few laps' to find the limit when racing returns
Carlos Sainz says he will only require a handful of laps before he finds the limit of his McLaren car when racing returns later this year. The opening ten rounds of the 2020&nb...
29 May 2020 16:35 -
Leclerc: I won't be number one driver at Ferrari in 2021
Charles Leclerc has denied that he will be Ferrari's clear number one driver when Carlos Sainz arrives at the team in 2021. Sainz was chosen as Sebastian Vettel's repla...
26 May 2020 10:21 -
Sainz wants to say goodbye to McLaren in the 'best possible way'
Carlos Sainz says he wants to say goodbye to McLaren in the “best possible way” later this year by helping it make progress from 2019. The Spaniard will leave the W...
25 May 2020 10:34 -
Sainz aiming to build 'something special' with Ferrari
Carlos Sainz says he will try to construct “something special” when he links up with Ferrari next year. The Spaniard will replace Sebastian Vettel at the team in 20...
22 May 2020 17:49 -
McLaren 'rippling with excitement and anticipation' over Ricciardo's arrival
Daniel Ricciardo's upcoming arrival at McLaren is creating a sense of excitement and anticipation within the team, according to its Head of Strategy Randeep Singh....
22 May 2020 11:27 -
Sainz putting Ferrari thoughts 'in the drawer' while at McLaren
Carlos Sainz says he is placing thoughts of competing for Ferrari on the sideline until he sees out his contract with McLaren. Last week, the Spaniard was confirmed as a 2021 d...
21 May 2020 14:48 -
Sainz has driver ability for championship success at Ferrari - Massa
Ex-Ferrari driver Felipe Massa believes Carlos Sainz possesses the talent to achieve championship success with the Scuderia team. Sainz will join Ferrari as a replacement for S...
19 May 2020 15:07 -
Button: Sainz 'the wrong person' if Ferrari wants number two driver
Jenson Button says Ferrari has employed the wrong driver in Carlos Sainz if it is banking on the Spaniard becoming a number two driver to Charles Leclerc in 2021. Last week, Sa...
19 May 2020 09:25 -
Leclerc, not Sainz, will feel Ferrari pressure in 2021 - Sainz's former F3 boss
Team owner Trevor Carlin believes Charles Leclerc will feel more pressure at Ferrari next year than his soon-to-be teammate Carlos Sainz. Last week, Sainz was announced as...
18 May 2020 09:25 -
Brown assures no harsh feelings with Sainz over McLaren departure
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has assured that this is no bad feelings between himself or the team and their driver Carlos Sainz, who will depart for Ferrari at the end of the season. ...
17 May 2020 11:56 -
Video: Sainz writes 'Thank you' letter to McLaren
Watch Carlos Sainz send a thank you message to McLaren after he announced he would be leaving the team at the end of the 2020 season to join Ferrari. &nbs...
14 May 2020 15:18 -
Column: The challenge that faces Carlos Sainz at Ferrari
After six years as a Formula 1 driver, Carlos Sainz has found himself signed to a race winning team – to Ferrari nonetheless, the most famous and historically-proud racing...
14 May 2020 12:21 -
Sainz to replace Vettel at Ferrari in 2021
Ferrari has confirmed that Carlos Sainz will join the team in 2021 alongside Charles Leclerc on a two-year deal. Sainz arrives at the team as a replacement for Sebastian Vettel...
14 May 2020 11:33 -
Sainz emerges as leading contender for open Ferrari seat
Carlos Sainz is set to be the driver that will replace Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari in 2021, according to reports from Italy. The Spanish driver joined McLaren in 2019...
13 May 2020 09:28 -
Verstappen has say on who will replace Vettel at Ferrari
Max Verstappen has had his say on who will replace Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari in 2021. On Monday, the Scuderia outfit announced that Vettel would not be signing a new contract...
13 May 2020 08:19 -
Poll: Who will replace Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari?
On Tuesday, Ferrari announced that Sebastian Vettel would leave the team at the end of the 2020 Formula 1 season. Entering his sixth year with the Scuderia outfit, Vettel racke...
12 May 2020 11:27 -
2021 driver talk delay not a big issue for McLaren - Seidl
Despite delays being cast over any potential driver talks for 2021 at McLaren, team principal Andreas Seidl insists that it is not a major issue for the team at the moment. Wit...
02 May 2020 12:08 -
Sainz expects drivers to physically struggle upon F1 return
McLaren driver Carlos Sainz has said he expects that drivers will physically suffer when F1 resumes, after being so long away from the cars in the wake of the coronavirus outbre...
27 Apr 2020 09:43 -
Who's racing in the Chinese Virtual Grand Prix?
The third Virtual Grand Prix takes place later today, with seven current F1 drivers signed up for the event. The series has been set up to provide fans with entertainment...
19 Apr 2020 10:05 -
Sainz, Norris take pay cuts as McLaren lays off staff amid coronavirus pandemic
The McLaren team have become the first team on the grid to lay off staff, with members remaining to work given a pay cut, including drivers Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz. ...
02 Apr 2020 09:29 -
Ecclestone suggests Vettel should retire or move to McLaren for 2021
Bernie Ecclestone has suggested that current Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel should either move to McLaren or retire from the sport completely, believing the German driver has n...
31 Mar 2020 10:56 -
Sainz 'very much part' of McLaren's medium to long-term project
Carlos Sainz says he is “very much part” of McLaren's medium to long-term project, and he is not thinking about moves elsewhere. The Spaniard has been linked to...
26 Mar 2020 09:48 -
Sainz tests negative for coronavirus, will continue to self-isolate
Carlos Sainz has announced that he tested negative for the COVID-19 disease after a McLaren team member was confirmed to have the coronavirus in Melbourne. The Spaniard issued ...
17 Mar 2020 19:31 -
Sainz 'cannot wait' to return to racing
McLaren's Carlos Sainz states he “cannot wait” until he can go racing again amid the ongoing lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Spaniard is back in h...
17 Mar 2020 15:30 -
Sainz and Norris present their 2020 helmets
On Thursday, McLaren launched its 2020 car, the MCL35. The event took place at its headquarters in Woking, with the car bringing in some minor design tweaks. One thing that has...
14 Feb 2020 08:44 -
Norris: Social media useful to give fans better knowledge of F1
McLaren's Lando Norris has explained how his extensive use of social media allows fans to become closer to him and be able to see how he gets up to. During his debut season...
26 Jan 2020 16:17 -
Norris: 'Best thing' is to work with Sainz in order to win at McLaren
McLaren's Lando Norris has spoken on his positive relationship with teammate Carlos Sainz, believing it is the best option in order to help the team become more competitive....
22 Jan 2020 11:57 -
Qualifying performances shows calibre of McLaren drivers - Seidl
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has said the qualifying performances between Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris this year is enough to show that there are two top drivers within...
24 Dec 2019 14:56 -
GPToday.net's 2019 F1 driver rankings - #3 - Carlos Sainz
By the end of the 2018 season, Carlos Sainz arguably had a reputation in Formula 1 that wasn’t too strong. He was beaten by Verstappen at Toro Rosso before moving to ...
21 Dec 2019 13:30 -
Sainz: No reason for me to look anywhere but McLaren
Carlos Sainz insists he is not interested in looking at a future at any other team but McLaren. Sainz joined the Woking squad for the 2019 season, in what was his most su...
19 Dec 2019 12:41 -
Seidl reveals plan to improve McLaren pit equipment for 2020
McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl has revealed the team's intentions to invest and improve the pit equipment for next season, after a series of pit stop issues throu...
15 Dec 2019 17:56 -
Sainz wanted P6 championship position 'more than anything'
Carlos Sainz admits he wanted to claim sixth place in the drivers' championship "more than anything" in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. The Spaniard managed to pull-off a la...
04 Dec 2019 10:15 -
Sainz: Assurance of McLaren future allows me to show my skills
Carlos Sainz has admitted that he feels far more comfortable with McLaren than he has within any team in F1 so far, citing his priority by the team as the main reason. Sai...
02 Dec 2019 08:26 -
McLaren drivers play down significance of qualifying head-to head battle
Carlos Sainz and Lando Norris have both spoken out about their intra-team qualifying battle this year, which came to a conclusion on Saturday in Abu Dhabi. Norris got the...
30 Nov 2019 18:37 -
Norris relationship could strain, but not end with title chance - Sainz
McLaren driver Carlos Sainz believes that there is a very positive relationship within the team, both between himself and teammate Lando Norris, and within the team itself...
24 Nov 2019 11:53 -
Rosberg: Sainz the third best driver in 2019
2016 Formula 1 world champion Nico Rosberg has labelled Carlos Sainz as the third-best F1 driver this season. Last time out in Brazil, Sainz secured his first-ever podium finis...
22 Nov 2019 15:30
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SerieTeamYear#
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F1
Williams
55 -
F1
Ferrari
202455 -
F1
McLaren
202055 -
F1
Renault
201855 -
F1
Toro Rosso
201755 -
F1
Red Bull Racing
2014 -
F1
Red Bull Racing
2013 -
F1
Toro Rosso
2013
Statistics Carlos Sainz jr
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Amount of victories4
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Amount of podiums29
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Total races233
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Total races with points149
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Amount of poles5
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Times beaten team member (race)16
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Times beaten team member (qualis)10
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Average points per grandprix6
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Average starting position9
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Average finish position10
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Average positions gained0
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Highest position1
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DateGrand PrixQR
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6 - 8 Mar2115
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5 - 7 Dec1213
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28 - 30 Nov73
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21 - 23 Nov5
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7 - 9 Nov1513
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24 - 26 Oct1217
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17 - 19 Oct920
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3 - 5 Oct1910
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19 - 21 Sep23
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5 - 7 Sep1311
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Driver characteristics
- Team -
- Points 1,336.5
- Podiums 29
- Grand Prix 233
- Country Spain
- Date of b. Sep 1 1994 (31)
- Place of b. Madrid, Spain
- Weight 66 kg
- Length 1.78 m
42,103 comments on
4 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Carlos Sainz jr
