30 Facts About Carlos Sainz You Should Know

Carlos Sainz was destined to be a race driver from birth, being born into Spanish racing heritage. He has proved his worth in Formula 1, working his way up from karts to the most famous F1 team in the world: Ferrari. In this article we will list some facts about Carlos Sainz that you should know.

1. When Was Carlos Sainz Born? 

Carlos Sainz was born on the 1st of September 1994 in Madrid, Spain. He was born into a racing family and is the son of former double World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz Sr and the nephew of rally driver Antonio Sainz. 

2. What Is Carlos Sainz’s Star Sign? 

Carlos Sainz’s star sign is Virgo. According to astrologers, Virgos have a high attention to detail, a trait that comes in handy when you are a top-level Formula 1 driver.

3. What Languages Can Carlos Sainz Speak? 

Carlos Sainz speaks Spanish, English and Italian, all to a fluent level. His proficiency in Italian stems back to his karting days and has helped him seamlessly fit into the Scuderia Ferrari team. 

4. Where Did Carlos Sainz Go To School? 

Carlos Sainz when to school in his home city of Madrid, where he had to balance his promising racing career with his studies. He joined the Red Bull Junior Driver program at the age of 15 when he was still at school.

5. Who Is Carlos Sainz’s Dad? 

Carlos Sainz’s dad is the two-time World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz Sr. He amassed a total of 26 wins and 97 podium finishes throughout his rally career, with his peak coming in the golden age of rally during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

6. Does Carlos Sainz Come From A Rich Family? 

Although his father was a successful rally driver, Carlos Sainz Jr did not grow up in a rich family. He had a comfortable upbringing but was not backed by millions of dollars when he started karting. Carlos Sainz had to work his way up from the bottom of the sport.

7. Is Carlos Sainz A Pay Driver? 

Carlos Sainz is not a pay driver. He has earned his place in F1 on merit, working his way up from karting into Formula BMW, and then the Red Bull Junior Driver program. This is despite his father being a very successful rally driver.

8. Was Carlos Sainz In F3? 

Carlos Sainz competed in the 2012 Formula 3 Euro Series, where he finished 9th overall, amassing a total of 112 points with the Carlin team. He also competed at the last three events of the 2011 season. He moved into GP3 (now FIA Formula 3) for the 2013 season, where he finished 10th.

9. Was Carlos Sainz In F2? 

Carlos Sainz did not appear in F2, and instead raced in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series in 2013 and 2014. He won the series in 2014, before moving into Formula 1 with Toro Rosso the following season.

10. When Did Carlos Sainz Join F1? 

Carlos Sainz joined F1 in 2015, racing with Scuderia Toro Rosso, Red Bull’s sister team. He finished 15th in the Drivers’ Championship in his first season. He never moved up to the Red Bull team and instead joined Renault towards the end of the 2017 season.

11. When Were Carlos Sainz And Max Verstappen Teammates? 

Carlos Sainz and Max Verstappen were teammates at Toro Rosso for the 2015 season and the first four races of the 2016 season, before Max Verstappen made the step up to the Red Bull team in May 2016. 

12. Why Did Carlos Sainz Leave Red Bull? 

Carlos Sainz left the Red Bull driver academy because he believed he would have a better chance of succeeding in F1 at a different team. When Max Verstappen was chosen to move up to the Red Bull team, Sainz felt that he would have to move elsewhere for a chance to drive for a top team.

13. Why Did Carlos Sainz Go To Renault? 

Carlos Sainz went to Renault as part of a complicated loan deal towards the end of the 2017 season. He felt his career path was uncertain, and his only way of securing his long-term future in the sport was to leave to a different setup. 

14. Why Did Carlos Sainz Leave Renault? 

Carlos Sainz left Renault because they wanted to replace him with Daniel Ricciardo who was leaving Red Bull at the time. He also didn’t feel as though he was truly appreciated at Renault and wanted to go to a team where he felt he would be.

15. Why Did Carlos Sainz Leave McLaren? 

Carlos Sainz left McLaren because he was offered Sebastian Vettel’s old seat for the 2021 season at Ferrari. Although Sainz felt happy at McLaren, the pull of racing for the Scuderia was too strong to turn down, with the legendary status of the Italian outfit offering all the persuasion he needed.

16. Who Does Carlos Sainz Race For? 

Carlos Sainz currently races for the Ferrari F1 team. He made the move to Ferrari in 2021, taking the seat left by Sebastian Vettel. He is currently contracted to Ferrari until the end of the 2024 season, with the possibility of a contract extension not unrealistic. 

17. Why Did Ferrari Want Carlos Sainz? 

Ferrari wanted Carlos Sainz having admired his performances in the McLaren car. They believed that he would be the perfect addition to the team that they had been building around Charles Leclerc, and that he would function effectively with the Monegasque driver.

18. Is Carlos Sainz A Good Driver? 

Carlos Sainz is a very good driver, after all, he wouldn’t have been able to sustain a career in the sport for such a long time, let alone secure a move to Ferrari. He doesn’t have the most aggressive driving style compared to many on the grid but is accurate and quick around corners.

19. Does Carlos Sainz Live In Monaco? 

Carlos Sainz does not live in Monaco, like a lot of the other F1 drivers do. Instead, he has chosen to remain in his hometown of Madrid, but no doubt has a place to live in Italy, near the Ferrari headquarters. 

20. How Much Is Carlos Sainz Paid? 

Carlos Sainz’s current contract is worth $10 million a year until 2024. He is the joint 8th highest earner on the grid, and is currently being paid $2 million a year less than his teammate Charles Leclerc. 

21. What Is Carlos Sainz’s Net Worth? 

Carlos Sainz has an estimated net worth of $47 million. This wealth has come from his many years in Formula 1, as well as sponsorship deals with brands such as Estrella Galicia. This number is expected to rise soon as he is on a high paying contract until 2024.

22. Has Carlos Sainz Won A Race? 

Carlos Sainz has won one Formula 1 race in his career so far. It came at the 2022 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, after a contentious race. Sainz started the race on pole for the very first time, and after a chaotic closing period of the race, he went on to take his first victory.

23. How Many Podiums Did Carlos Sainz Get In 2021? 

Carlos Sainz managed to get 4 podiums in the 2021 season. His best finish was second place at the Monaco Grand Prix. He ended the season in 5th place in the Drivers’ Championship.

24. What Does Carlos Sainz Drive? 

Carlos Sainz drives a lot of different cars, including a Volkswagen Golf that he received as a gift from his parents when he was 18, a McLaren 600LT which he got during his time as a driver for McLaren, and a customized Ferrari 812 Competizione.

25. What Cars Does Carlos Sainz Own? 

Carlos Sainz owns a McLaren 600LT, a McLaren 720S, a Ferrari Roma, a fully customized Ferrari 812 Competizione, as well as hit first ever car, a Volkswagen Golf. There may also be cars that he has not been spotted in, such is the lifestyle of a Formula 1 driver. 

26. Is Carlos Sainz Better Than Charles Leclerc? 

As good as he is, Carlos Sainz is not currently better than Charles Leclerc. He lacks Leclerc’s aggression and ability to challenge Max Verstappen at the top of the Drivers’ Championship standings. Sainz is seemingly deemed to be the second driver by the Ferrari team. 

27. Did Carlos Sainz Beat Nico Hulkenberg? 

During their only full season as teammates in 2018, Carlos Sainz did not beat Nico Hulkenberg in the drivers’ Standings. Hulkenberg finished the season in 7th place, with a total of 69 points, while Sainz finished in 10th place with a total of 53 points.

28. Did Carlos Sainz Beat Lando Norris? 

Carlos Sainz beat Lando Norris in their first season as teammates in 2019, with Sainz finishing 6th overall, compared to Norris’ 11th placed finish. Sainz also beat Norris in their second season together in 2020, maintaining 6th place compared to Norris’ improved 9th position. 

29. Has Carlos Sainz Had A Pole Position? 

Carlos Sainz has had one pole position, which came at the 2022 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Sainz went on to win that Sunday’s race, earning him his first ever Formula 1 Grand prix victory. 

30. Why Is Carlos Sainz Called Smooth Operator?

Carlos Sainz is called Smooth Operator after frequently singing it over the McLaren radio after good performances. He first began singing the song after a great Silverstone qualifying session with McLaren, after hearing the song on the radio and having it stuck in his head. 

Final Thoughts

Carlos Sainz is undoubtedly one of the most exciting talents in Formula 1. He races for the Ferrari F1 team, and he has managed to achieve a single victory and one pole position, although it’s likely we’ll see more of both in the future.