When Carlos met his racing idol

Look back

Back in 2005, a ten-year-old Carlos Sainz made his first visit to the F1 paddock during the Spanish Grand Prix at Circuit de Catalunya. Along with his father, two-time WRC champion Carlos Sainz, the youngster went to meet his childhood hero Fernando Alonso, who was then en route to his first F1 title with Renault.

Ten years later, Carlos is now racing alongside his idol at the top echelon. “That was a big shock for me and an amazing experience and probably thanks to that it’s where I take the decision that I really wanted to be a Formula One driver one day,” Sainz commented during Thursday’s FIA press conference.