Being the son of rally legend Carlos Sainz Sr., it was inevitable that Carlos Sainz Jr. would find his way into racing. He quickly found himself in a kart, making many a karting track unsafe with his father. He won titles in the Asia-Pacific KF3 and the Junior Monaco Kart Cup.
In 2010, he made his debut in single-seaters in the European Formula BMW. He won one race and finished the championship in fourth place behind Robin Frijns, Jack Harvey, and Timmy Hansen. At that time, he was already supported by the Red Bull program, with Helmut Marko setting his sights on the Spaniard and directing him to the Formula Renault 2.0 and the Formula Renault 2.0 NEC. In the former class, he finished second behind Robin Frijns again, while in the NEC, he won the championship with 10 victories.
After a successful year in various Formula 3 championships, Sainz moved to GP3. His season with MW Arden in Red Bull colors was challenging, as was his time in Formula 3.5 with Zeta Corse. The following year, he took revenge in the 3.5 with DAMS, achieving 7 victories and winning the title. This success prompted Marko to give Sainz a chance with Toro Rosso in 2015.
Teammate of Verstappen
Alongside the very young Max Verstappen, Sainz had a heated debut year. He often outperformed the Dutchman in qualifying, but Sainz had less luck on Sundays. Due to a combination of reliability issues and significant crashes in Russia and the United States, he only scored 18 of the 67 championship points for Toro Rosso. When Daniil Kvyat failed at Red Bull and Verstappen was promoted, Sainz scored several excellent results with a barely developed Toro Rosso.
Sainz never really had a chance at Red Bull, and during the 2017 season, he stated that he would not drive for the team for another season. In Singapore, it was announced that he would move to Renault, where he immediately achieved his best result for Toro Rosso with a fourth place. The move accelerated, and he drove the last four races with his new team.
In those four races, things didn’t go smoothly, but 2018 was much better. He qualified in the top 10 in the first eight races, earning a slew of points. However, Sainz struggled to maintain his good start in the second half of the season. He scored a total of 53 out of 122 points for Renault, with teammate Nico Hülkenberg proving stronger over the entire season. When Daniel Ricciardo decided to leave Red Bull, Renault quickly stepped in, and Sainz had to look for a new seat.
Popularity at McLaren
That seat became available at McLaren when Fernando Alonso left. At the British team, he had two excellent years, forming a popular duo with Lando Norris. Highlights include two podium finishes in Brazil 2019 and Monza 2020. In 2019, he beat Norris in the qualifying duel, and in terms of points, the Spaniard also comfortably beat Norris. In the final round, he secured sixth place in the standings with a beautiful overtaking move on Nico Hülkenberg in the Renault. He repeated the sixth-place feat in 2020, the COVID season, finishing the year just ahead of Lando Norris in the standings.
Carlos Sainz’s Journey from McLaren to Ferrari
Despite the promising prospects at McLaren, Carlos Sainz could not resist the allure of Ferrari. When Sainz was announced as Sebastian Vettel’s successor, there were several doubts. Questions arose about the driver’s choice, who seemed comfortable at McLaren, and the team’s decision. Could the Spaniard meet the high expectations at Ferrari? Over time, Sainz has shown why Ferrari wanted him, culminating in his victory from pole position at Silverstone in 2022.
Healthy Rivalry and Team Spirit
“Of course, we want to beat each other, but the team’s interest always comes first,” says Sainz about his healthy rivalry with Charles Leclerc. “I have never had a problem with a teammate and I don’t expect that to change now.” However, a bromance like he had with Norris at McLaren seems less likely. But as Max Verstappen’s teammate in their debut year at Toro Rosso, he is accustomed to a competitive work environment.
Choosing a Different Path
Although the tension between them was mostly hyped from the outside, Sainz chose a different path when Red Bull opted for Verstappen. His journey through Renault and McLaren has led him to Ferrari.
