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Who is Rebecca Donaldson: The Scottish Supermodel Dating Williams F1 Driver Carlos Sainz?

Anirban Aly Mandal
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Rebecca Donaldson (L), Carlos Sainz (R)

It’s impossible not to be just a tad jealous of Williams’ Carlos Sainz. He isn’t just highly regarded by other pros in the paddock, he is also a fan favourite, thanks to his exploits on track and his contemporary Spanish good looks. And he has a stunning girlfriend to boot!

After his messy break-up with long-term girlfriend, Spanish journalist Isa Hernáez, the #55 driver was spotted with his new love interest, Rebecca Donaldson, on the streets of Italy back in May 2023, sparking intense curiosity among fans.

Since then, he has gone public about his relationship with the famous Scottish supermodel. And Donaldson has become a regular part of Sainz’s entourage in the F1 paddock. On his first official outing as a Williams driver, at the Australian GP on Sunday, she was once again by his side in the Grove-based team’s garage. So who exactly is this stunner by Sainz’s side?

Rebecca Donaldson is a celebrity in her own right

Donaldson’s standing in the elite world of modeling rivals her boyfriend’s stature in F1. The 29-year-old is regarded as one of the most marketable faces of the fashion business today.

In a notoriously short-spanned field, she is a veteran. She broke into the industry back in 2011, thanks to her appearance on the UK-based reality TV show ‘Top Model UK‘. This was a turning point in her career. “My family were all very pleased for me, they were jumping around and stuff,” she later admitted.

 

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A post shared by Rebecca Donaldson (@iamrebeccad)

Since then, she’s gone on to feature on the cover of some of the most prestigious magazines. Her resume includes the likes of Elle Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vogue to just name a few.

Based in the United Kingdom, she is managed by Premier Model Management. Donaldson is also affiliated with other agencies across Europe and Oceania, including Line-Up Model Management (Barcelona) and Merci Management (Sydney).

Donaldson’s business foray

Apart from a successful career in modeling, the 29-year-old has also tried her hand at business. She is the founder of an activewear company called Muse Activewear, which she established during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Explaining her motivations behind this venture, she said, “I was spending many days and hours during lockdown feeling a little purposeless. So, I decided to pursue my dream of starting a clothing brand.”

She is also good friends with Guzman Colilla’s girlfriend, Francina Florit. Colilla has Sainz as one of his clients since 2019 for his sports media company, The Crown Creators in Spain. Donaldson and Florit also share a common interest in fashion. Florit owns a clothing brand called Gin Lemon Menorca Vibes.

Recently, Donaldson drove a $433k worth Ferrari — the Purosangue — for a lunch outing with her two months ago and the pictures went viral on social media.

Donaldson has become a huge fan favorite because of her relationship with Sainz, epitomizing how solid it is.

Donaldson and Sainz seem to be pretty smitten by each other. Naturally, one of the biggest questions in the paddock is about where their relationship is headed.

Will Sainz and Donaldson marry?

While there are no plans of getting married yet, the duo appear to be thinking about the possibility very strongly. The 30-year-old once even joked that he would marry the Scottish model in Las Vegas.

That said, with a grueling 24-race F1 calendar and the sacrifices required to reach the pinnacle of a sport like Formula 1, marriage would come off as a daunting commitment.

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Sainz’s father, who is a two-time WRC champion and four-time Dakar Rally winner, knows exactly what it takes for a racing driver to settle down. That’s why he has admitted that he won’t be forcing them to tie the knot anytime soon.

He was quoted by the Spanish media outlet Hola, “I think getting married and starting a family is a very difficult decision for everyone. Seriously, I trust that when he decides, it will be because it’s clear.”

For the moment, Sainz has his work cut out for the 2025 season, after a poor start at the Australian GP. Donaldson might play a key role in calming his nerves and support him in his journey. How well the duo balances their professional aspirations could very well decide the fate of their relationship.

Post Edited By:Tanish Chachra

About the author

Anirban Aly Mandal

Anirban Aly Mandal

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Anirban Aly Mandal is an F1 writer at The SportsRush, with over 1000 articles under his belt, Anirban's love for F1 started when he discovered a copy of F1 2014 on his computer. With over half a decade's worth of time spent religiously following the sport, he’s dived deep into the world of motorsports. However, Anirban's expertise goes beyond just writing - he has also written several academic papers focused on the domain of motorsports and the law. His passion for the sport is so immense that he aspires to work as a legal advisor in the most prestigious racing series in the world someday. When it comes to Formula 1, Anirban finds great pleasure in re-watching classic races and idolizes the likes of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. His top picks include Brazil '91, Silverstone '92, and Germany '19. Outside of the sport, Anirban is an avid sim racer, often found racing on titles like Assetto Corsa, F1 22, and Automobilista. Apart from his interests in gaming, Anirban has a keen interest in philosophy, literature and music.

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