Carlos Sainz is a Spanish racing driver who competes in Formula One for Williams. He made his debut in 2015 with Toro Rosso.
| Nationality | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Born | Carlos Sainz Vázquez de Castro 1 September 1994 Madrid, Spain |
Born in Madrid, Sainz is the son of rally driver Carlos Sainz Sr., a two-time World Rally Champion. Sainz began in karting and progressed to junior formulae in 2010. He secured his first championship in the 2011 Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup. In 2021 Sainz raced in British Formula 3, the Formula 3 Euro Series, and FIA European Formula 3, all with Carlin Motorsport. He then competed in the GP3 Series with Arden International in 2013 before clinching the 2014 championship in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series with DAMS.
Sainz eventually made his F1 debut with Scuderia Toro Rosso in 2015, partnering alongside Max Verstappen. As part of Red Bull’s junior program, Sainz remained with the team until the 2017 US Grand Prix, after which he moved to Renault as a mid-season replacement.
After replacing Jolyon Palmer at Renault during the latter part of the 2017 season, Sainz signed a full-time contract to race for the team in 2018. His switch to Renault was his first major move away from the Red Bull umbrella, driven by his need to establish himself as a number one driver in a team. Sainz’s performances at Renault were solid, contributing to the team’s upward trajectory in the Constructors’ Championship. However, with Red Bull prioritising younger talent, Sainz parted ways with the team at the end of 2018.
Sainz moved to McLaren in 2019, a turning point in his career as he stepped out of Red Bull’s shadow. His time at McLaren saw Sainz secure his first Formula One podium at the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix. He followed up with another podium at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix, highlighting his growing talent, which had caught the eye of the Ferrari team.
In 2021, Sainz made his highly anticipated move to Ferrari, replacing Sebastian Vettel and partnering with Charles Leclerc. Despite Ferrari’s struggles that year, Sainz impressed in 2022, securing his first-ever pole position and race victory at the 2022 British Grand Prix. His success continued in 2023 with a victory in Singapore and a strong showing in the 2024 season, including a win in Australia. However, at the end of the 2024 season, Sainz left Ferrari for a new challenge with Williams.
