When Carlos met his racing idol

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.

Julien Billiotte

Recent Posts

Mekies: ‘We all agree’ F1 must bring back flat-out qualifying

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has made it clear: Formula 1 must rediscover the…

5 hours ago

‘Rusty, me?’: Perez fires back at Andretti’s Cadillac claim

Sergio Perez isn’t taking lightly the suggestion that his return to Formula 1 with Cadillac…

6 hours ago

Formula 1’s heartfelt gift to new dad Fernando Alonso

While Aston Martin’s F1 car is currently giving Fernando Alonso some massive engine vibrations and…

8 hours ago

Hill says unhappy Verstappen ‘should stop and do something else’

For a driver who has spent years bending F1 to his will, Max Verstappen suddenly…

9 hours ago

‘He’s up against it’: Brundle fears Sainz facing career dead end in F1

For Carlos Sainz, what was meant to be a strong second season at Williams is…

10 hours ago

Alonso’s brutal verdict: ‘High-speed corners now charging stations’

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso has delivered another withering verdict on Formula 1’s 2026 regulations…

11 hours ago