Carlos Sainz was born into a racing family, with his father, Carlos Sainz Sr., being a legend in the world of Rallying. The Ferrari driver’s exposure to motorsports from a very young age is what got him to where he is today, and a heartfelt video capturing his journey became viral.
The video starts with Sainz Sr. carrying a newborn Carlos Sainz in his arms and placing him inside a racing car. Sainz, who was a toddler back then, had no idea where he was but his parents knew that he was destined for great things. “He’s gonna learn what a car is,” Sainz Sr. said before placing his son in the driver’s seat.
A woman’s voice (presumably Sainz’s mother) says,
“Here’s the next world champion!’
The video encapsulates Sainz’s early childhood and how he fell in love with racing. From his first steps as a baby to getting behind the wheel of his first car, it shows a glimpse into the Sainz household and the love and affection he received from everyone in his vicinity growing up.
Sainz’s talent behind the wheel of his car was also on full display. On a toy car, the Madrid-born driver was drifting about, surprising the ones watching. Sainz’s mother also credits her husband for the role he played in helping their son become a top driver at such a young age. She says, “There’s no doubt genetics help. He (Sainz) inherited it, it’s that simple.”
Carlos Sr. is a two-time Rallying World Champion and one of the biggest names in Spanish motorsports. Today, the 29-year-old is continuing his father’s legacy and is looking to become the first Spanish World Champion in F1 since Fernando Alonso in 2006.
Carlos Sainz’s F1 journey
Carlos Sainz went on to make strides in the world of karting. While he never stood out as ‘the best’, even in his junior Formula days, Sainz was exceptionally hard working and his talent was noticed by Red Bull, who signed him up for Toro Rosso in 2015.
A year alongside Max Verstappen and a season and a half later, he exited the Red Bull family. Sainz then joined Renault and drove for the Enstone-based outfit until 2018 when an opportunity arrived from McLaren.
It was the Woking-based outfit where Sainz was finally able to showcase his real talent. He kept getting better gradually until Scuderia Ferrari came calling in 2021.
At Maranello, he became a race winner and a well-known figure in the paddock. Although there is no doubt that Sainz is an incredibly talented driver, he will no longer continue at Ferrari in 2025, with Lewis Hamilton set to replace him.
