Carlos Sainz is a Spanish professional rally driver who is often regarded as one of the greatest rally drivers of all time. He had won the World Rally Championship (WRC) drivers’ title in 1990 and 1992; finished as a runner-up in 1991, 1994, 1995, 1998; and stood 3rd in 1996, 1997, 2000, 2002, and 2003. He had also stood 4th in 2004, 5th in 1999, and 6th in 2001. His performances had also helped teams such as 555 Subaru World Rally Team (1995), Toyota Castrol Team (1999), and Citroën Total (2003, 2004 and 2005) clinch the constructors’ championship. After leaving the competition in 2005, he participated regularly (except 2012) in the grueling Dakar Rally and won the title in 2010, 2018, and 2020. Other than his exceptional performances in these 2 competitions, Carlos had also won the Spanish Rally Championship (1987, 1988), the 1990 Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, the 1997 cross-discipline Champion of Champions event, and the 2007 FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup. He was inducted into the ‘Rally Hall of Fame’ in March 2012, and in May 2020, was voted as the ‘Greatest WRC Driver of All Time’ in an online poll of fans and journalists.
Born Name
Carlos Sainz Cenamor
Nick Name
El Matador
Sun Sign
Aries
Born Place
Madrid, Spain
Residence
Madrid, Spain
Nationality
Education
Carlos, after his high school graduation, had studied law up to the second scheduled cycle, before dropping out to pursue a career in motorsports.
Occupation
Professional Rally Driver
Family
- Siblings – Antonio Sainz (Older Brother) (Former Professional Rally Driver)
WRC Teams
Carlos has raced for –
- Marlboro Rally Team (1987)
- RAC de España (1987)
- Carlos Sainz (1988)
- Ford Motor Co. (1988, 1996-1997, 2000-2002)
- Toyota Team Europe (1989-1992)
- Jolly Club (1993)
- 555 Subaru World Rally Team (1994-1995)
- Toyota Castrol Team (1998-1999)
- Citroën Total (2003-2005)
Build
Average
Height
5 ft 9 in or 175 cm
Weight
72 kg or 158.5 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Carlos has dated –
- Reyes Vázquez de Castro (1992-Present) – Carlos got married to his high school friend Reyes Vázquez de Castro in Madrid, in 1992. They have 3 children together – a son named Carlos Sainz Vázquez de Castro aka (b. September 1, 1994) (Professional F1 Racing Driver); and 2 daughters named Blanca Sainz and Ana Sainz.
Race / Ethnicity
Hispanic
He is of Spanish descent.
Hair Color
Salt-and-Pepper
Eye Color
Green
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Stocky frame
- Affable smile
- Clean-shaven look
- Puffy face
- Side-parted hair
Religion
Roman Catholicism
Carlos Sainz Facts
- He was a multi-talented athlete in his school days and teenage years and had won the Spanish national squash championship at the age of just 16. He had also given a trial for Spanish soccer giants Real Madrid.
- In the 1991 season of the World Rally Championship, he had won 5 races which were the most that he had won in a single season in his entire career but he had to be content with 2nd place on the overall leaderboard (143 points). However, with one less win (4), he had managed to win both the 1990 (140 points) and 1992 (144 points) editions of the competition.
- When he won the 1000 Lakes Rally, one of the showcase events of the World Rally Championship, in Finland in 1990, he became the 1st non- driver to achieve the feat.
- Other than winning the Dakar Rally in 2010, 2018, and 2020, he had also won the 2008 edition of the event (named the Central Europe Rally) which was moved away from the traditional Paris-Dakar route after French tourists were attacked and killed in Mauritania in 2007.
Featured Image by Carlos Sainz / Instagram
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Facts of Carlos Sainz
- full nameCarlos Sainz
- Date of Birth April 12, 1962
- Age 62 years 4 months
- Horoscope Aries
- Lucky Number 7
- Lucky Stone Diamond
- Lucky Color Red
- Best Match for Marriage Leo
- weight72 kg
- height5 ft 9 in