Sparkles, Sprinkles, and a podium: Sainz’s unicorn secret revealed

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Carlos Sainz’s return to the Formula 1 podium last weekend with Williams wasn’t just about an outstanding drive, strategy, or tyre management. In Baku, the Spaniard’s triumph was also about… a unicorn.

Sainz finished third behind Max Verstappen and George Russell, giving Williams their first top-three finish since 2021 – and their first in a proper, full-distance race since 2017.

But the real star of the weekend may well have been a mystery sticker slapped on the back of Sainz’s helmet.

In the cool-down room after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Verstappen couldn’t resist pointing out the new addition.

“You have a new mascot on the back of your helmet, Carlos?” the Red Bull driver asked.

“It’s a unicorn! A fan sent us this, I said I would wear it this weekend,” Sainz replied, before Verstappen delivered the obvious conclusion: “You have to keep it now!”

And just like that, the legend of Williams’ lucky charm unicorn began.

Sparkles or Sprinkles?

The sticker wasn’t just a random doodle from a merch pack. It came from a young fan who wrote into Williams’ “Call Carbono” series.

She asked Sainz a very serious question: should she name her toy unicorn Sparkles or Sprinkles? And, in case he needed extra motivation, she also asked him to wear a unicorn sticker on his helmet “for the rest of the year.”

Sainz didn’t choose between Sparkles and Sprinkles (who could, honestly?), but he did stay true to his word and carried the unicorn into battle around the streets of Baku.

The Team Joins In

Williams boss James Vowles wasn’t about to let the amusing mascot’s magic go unnoticed. In a post-race video, he cheekily pointed to the sticker now attached to the trophy.

"There's one more thing that is actually quite special," he said. "I'm pretty sure either Sparkles or Sprinkles had something to do with this as well at the same time. So, that's staying, I assume, for a little while.”

Sainz didn’t argue. “Until the end of the year, for sure,” he confirmed.

Beyond the unicorn-themed fun, the result was a big deal for both Sainz and Williams. The Spaniard had endured a tough run since joining the team and hadn’t scored in the previous three races.

His third place not only lifted him from 18th to 12th in the Drivers’ standings but also gave Williams a firmer grip on fifth in the Constructors’ championship – now 29 points clear of Racing Bulls, who also scored big in Baku.

It turns out, sometimes all it takes to break a streak is a little bit of belief… and a the magic powers of a brightly colored unicorn.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.