Carlos Sainz Inherits “Cannibal” Mentality From His Old Man: “First Thing My Father Told Me When I Was 12 Years Old…”

Carlos Sainz comes from a racing family, with his father Sainz Sr. being one of the most decorated Spanish motorsport drivers of all time. Unlike his son, who competes in F1, Sainz Sr. is a rallying champion and continues to make strides in his field, even at the age of 62. Sainz points out in a recent interview how his father taught him to develop a killer instinct, that allows him to compete at a high level.

Sainz told GQ that his father influenced him a lot as a child. Very early on, he learned from him that even though being a team player in motorsport was necessary, sometimes being selfish was important. The 29-year-old said,

“The first thing my father told me when I was 12 years old is that you either bite or they bite you here. And since then, and that’s what you meant, on the track I try to be as aggressive and as cannibal as possible.” 

Off the track, however, Sainz has learned to be a gentleman. The Spaniard always looked to be on his best behavior and remained calm, to build an image in front of his sponsors and fans.

For the last four years, Sainz has been driving for Ferrari, with whom he has won three races so far. As he looks to jump teams once again, he carries a valuable lesson along with him.

Sainz on being selfish and a team player at the same time

Being in F1 means a driver has to take care of two things. They have to take care of the team’s interest in order to earn their trust and avoid burning bridges. At the same time, to succeed, prioritizing their own race is important.

Sainz knows this, and feels that being a team player is crucial for him, as he never knows which team he may return to in the future.

“There are 1,200 people working for the drivers’ cars. And you never know if you are going to return to this team one day or not, so you want to get along and prove that you are a team man.”

So far in his career, Sainz has driven for four teams – Toro Rosso, Renault, McLaren, and Ferrari. He left the previous three on good terms and would most likely do the same with Ferrari.

Sainz has been linked to a return to Alpine (formerly Renault), one of his ex-teams. And the fact that he was a team player there, he would hope for a good reception from the Enstone-based outfit if he does join them for a second stint.