Biography Carlos Sainz

El Matador

Even at 61, Carlos Sainz still feels the urge for sporting success. The Spaniard, who helped develop generations of rally cars with his relentless sense of perfection, also gives his all at Audi until the RS Q e-tron meets his expectations: “We’ve worked a lot. The set-up that we found for our car during the 2023 season makes me very happy. It is comfortable and efficient at the same time.”

He is also keeping a very close eye on the competition at the most important desert rally of the year. “They definitely include Dakar winner Nasser Al-Attiyah and World Rally Champion Sébastien Loeb in the Prodrive Hunter and, of course, my two teammates Stéphane and Mattias. Toyota also has a former winner in Giniel de Villiers and a number of good younger drivers in its line-up. And we certainly won’t underestimate our new opponent Ford with former winner Nani Roma.”

One constant that Carlos Sainz has relied on for a long time is his co-driver Lucas Cruz. “We’ve known each other for a very long time,” says Sainz about his compatriot. “We have a really good and stable friendship. I can sense when he’s struggling a bit. And he knows on which days things aren’t going so well for me. Then we always try to build each other up.”

Carlos Sainz has always loved sporting challenges. That’s why he stopped studying law after two years. Dedicating himself entirely to rallying was and remained his big thing. He has been doing this since 1980, when he turned 18. “And it’s still a dream that I can still do what I love most professionally: driving,” he assures us.

Carlos Sainz was already a champion before he won his first title on four wheels. “I became the first Spanish squash champion in 1979,” he notes. “If there’s one sport that’s good for motor sportsmen, it’s squash: you have to be very fit, have quick reflexes, good coordination, good all-round vision and be quick to think.” He still swings the racket regularly today. Sainz also enjoys playing tennis and golf and is very good at them.

Carlos Sainz (E)

Date of birth: April 12, 1962
Place of birth: Madrid (E)
Place of residence: Madrid (E)
Marital status: married to Reyes Vázquez de Castro Rincón, two daughters (Blanca and Ana), one son (Carlos)
Height/weight: 1.77 m/ 84 kg
Motorsport since: 1980 (Audi driver since 2021)

Career as a driver:

1980–1986 Rallies in Spain and Europe
1987 35th place World Rally Championship
1988 11th place World Rally Championship
1989 8th place World Rally Championship
1990 1st place World Rally Championship
1991 2nd place World Rally Championship
1992 1st place World Rally Championship
1994 2nd place World Rally Championship
1995 2nd place World Rally Championship
1996 3rd place World Rally Championship
1997 3rd place World Rally Championship, 1st place Race of Champions
1998 2nd place World Rally Championship
2000 3rd place World Rally Championship
2002 3rd place World Rally Championship
2003 3rd place World Rally Championship
2005 3rd place Baja Portalegre 500
2006 Dakar Rally
2007 1st place FIA World Cup Cross Country Rallies
2008 1st place Central Europe Rally, 14th place 24 hours Nürburgring
2009 Dakar Rally, 1st place Silk Way Rally, 1st place Rally dos Sertoes
2010 1st place Dakar Rally, 1st place Silk Way Rally
2011 3rd place Dakar Rally
2013 Dakar Rally
2014 Dakar Rally
2015 Dakar Rally
2016 Dakar Rally
2017 Dakar Rally
2018 1st place Dakar Rally
2019 13th place Dakar Rally, 2nd place Morocco Rally, 2nd place Baja Sharqiyah
2020 1st place Dakar Rally, 2nd place Baja Hail 1, 1st place Baja Hail 2
2021 3rd place Dakar Rally, Extreme E, Audi Dakar Project
2022 12th place Dakar Rally (Audi RS Q e-tron), 3rd place Extreme E
2023 Dakar Rally, Morocco Rally (Audi RS Q e-tron)

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