“I Forced Carlos”: Sainz Sr. Confesses to Pushing His Son Into Path Not Taken by Other F1 Drivers

Becoming an F1 driver requires several years of rigorous training, as exemplified by Max Verstappen and his father Jos. Another driver with a motorsport lineage is Carlos Sainz Jr., whose father is considered one of Spain’s greatest motorsport exports. As a result, Carlos Jr. had a distinctive upbringing, unlike his Red Bull rival.

Carlos Sr., the rally driver, recently appeared in a documentary honoring Blanco Fernandez Ocha, Spain’s first female Olympic medalist. He discussed mental health in athletes and shared insights into how he prepared his son for a career in F1.

Carlos Sainz takes a different route

Most F1 drivers skip school and degrees to focus on competitive karting to make their F1 dreams come true. This is supported by the parents as well, who tend to share a similar dream. Sainz’s best friend, Lando Norris, has often shared the remorse of not having a normal school life. 7 time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton has explained the painful balance to strike between education and racing as a child.

 

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But Carlos Sainz was given no exception. Having spent the majority of his life racing, Sainz Sr. understood the reality of life after its all over. And he chose to prepare his son for that as well. The rally champion had explained, “The responsibility of a parent to give sports advice to their child is difficult, and you have to experience it first hand.”

Throwing light into his decision to complete his son’s education, Sainz added, “I forced Carlos to study and get to the university entrance exam. Because many athletes, when they retire, do not have a Plan B.”

Unknown to many and owing to his father’s advice, the Ferrari man has a stellar record at school. He had a keen interest in literature during his high school years, and he excelled in his studies.

However, he eventually decided to pursue his passion for motorsports, joining F1 at the age of 20, alongside Max Verstappen at Toro Rosso. Despite leaving his academic pursuits behind, he had a solid academic record and completed his education with good grades.

Like his education, Sainz’s F1 career has been more than impressive. Should the young Ferrari star decide to retire tomorrow, surely the opportunities in store for him will be endless.