Carlos Sainz Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carlos Sainz Jr.
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Sainz at the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix
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Carlos Sainz Vázquez de Castro
1 September 1994 Madrid, Spain
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| Parent(s) | Carlos Sainz Sr. (father) |
| Relatives | Antonio Sainz (uncle) |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
| Nationality |  Spanish |
| Car number | 55 |
| Entries | 214 (211 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 4 |
| Podiums | 27 |
| Career points | 1277.5 |
| Pole positions | 6 |
| Fastest laps | 4 |
| First entry | 2015 Australian Grand Prix |
| First win | 2022 British Grand Prix |
| Last win | 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix |
| Last entry | 2019 Monaco Grand Prix |
| 2024 position | 5th (290 pts) |
| Previous series | |
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| Signature | |
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Carlos Sainz Vázquez de Castro (born 1 September 1994) is a Spanish racing driver. He competes in Formula One for Williams. Carlos has won four Formula One Grands Prix races.
Born in Madrid, Spain, Carlos is the son of Carlos Sainz. His father is a famous rally driver. Carlos started racing karting in 2006. He moved up to junior racing series in 2010. He won championships in Formula Renault NEC in 2011 and Formula Renault 3.5 Series in 2014.
Carlos joined the Red Bull Junior Team in 2010. He made his Formula One debut with Toro Rosso in 2015. Later, he raced for Renault and McLaren. He achieved his first Formula One podium with McLaren in 2019. In 2021, Carlos joined Ferrari. He won his first Formula One race and took his first pole position in 2022. He won more races with Ferrari in 2023 and 2024. For the 2025 season, Carlos joined Williams.
As of July 2025, Carlos has four race wins, six pole positions, four fastest laps, and 27 podiums in Formula One. He is set to race with Williams until at least the end of the 2026 season.
Contents
Carlos Sainz Jr.: A Racing Star
Early Life and Family
Carlos Sainz Vázquez de Castro was born on 1 September 1994 in Madrid, Spain. His father, Carlos Sainz Sr., is a well-known rally driver. His father won the World Rally Championship twice. Carlos Jr. learned a lot from his father as he grew up in racing.
In 2016, Carlos became an Ambassador for María de Villota's Legacy. María de Villota was a racing driver who coached him. Carlos has a star on his helmet to honor her memory.
Starting in Racing
Karting Beginnings
Carlos started his racing journey in karting in 2006. In 2008, he won the Asia-Pacific KF3 title. He also finished second in the Spanish Championship. In 2009, he won the Junior Monaco Kart Cup. He was also runner-up in the European KF3 Championship.
Formula BMW Experience
In 2010, Carlos raced in Formula BMW Europe. He was also part of the Red Bull Junior Team. He had a guest race in the Formula BMW Pacific series in Malaysia. There, he finished second in one race and won another.
In Formula BMW Europe, he earned a podium finish in his first race. He later won his first race of the season at Silverstone. He finished the season in fourth place overall.
Formula Three and GP3
In 2012, Carlos raced in British Formula 3 and Formula 3 Euro Series. He won five races and had nine podium finishes in the British championship. He also achieved two podiums in the Euro Series.
In 2013, Carlos joined the GP3 Series. He earned his first GP3 podium in Valencia. He finished the season in tenth place.
Winning in Formula Renault 3.5
Carlos first raced in Formula Renault 3.5 in 2013. In 2014, he switched to the DAMS team. He had a very successful year, winning seven races. He won the championship title that season. This big win helped him move closer to Formula One.
Formula One Journey
Carlos became part of the Red Bull Junior Team in 2010. He first drove a Formula One car in July 2013. He tested for both Toro Rosso and Red Bull.
Toro Rosso Years (2015–2017)
Carlos joined Scuderia Toro Rosso for the 2015 Formula One season. His teammate was Max Verstappen. He chose 55 as his race number. He scored points in his first race in Australia. He had some tough races with mechanical issues and crashes. He finished his first season in fifteenth place.
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In 2016, Carlos continued with Toro Rosso. He scored points in several races. He achieved his best career finish at the time, finishing sixth in Spain. He ended the season in twelfth place.
Carlos stayed with Toro Rosso for 2017. He scored points in the first two races. He had a great race in Singapore, finishing fourth. This was his best result in Formula One at that point. He moved to Renault for the last four races of the season.
Racing for Renault (2017–2018)
Carlos joined Renault for the final races of 2017. He finished seventh in his first race with the team in the United States. He ended the 2017 season in ninth place overall.
In 2018, Carlos continued with Renault. He often qualified in the top ten and scored points. He finished fifth in Azerbaijan, his best result that year. He ended the season in tenth place in the Drivers' Championship.
Time at McLaren (2019–2020)
Carlos moved to McLaren for the 2019 season. He had a challenging start with some bad luck. However, he consistently scored points after that. At the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix, he started last due to an engine problem. He drove an amazing race to finish third, earning his first Formula One podium. He finished the season in sixth place.
Carlos stayed with McLaren in 2020. He achieved his first fastest lap in Formula One in Austria. At the 2020 Italian Grand Prix, he finished second. This was his best career race finish at the time. He ended the 2020 season in sixth place again.
Driving for Ferrari (2021–2024)
Carlos joined Scuderia Ferrari in 2021. He partnered with Charles Leclerc. He quickly adapted to the team. He earned his first podium with Ferrari in Monaco, finishing second. He had a strong first season, finishing fifth in the championship.
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In 2022, Carlos continued with Ferrari. At the 2022 British Grand Prix, he took his first Formula One pole position. He then went on to win the race, marking his maiden victory in Formula One. He finished the season in fifth place.
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Carlos started the 2023 season with a fourth-place finish in Bahrain. He took pole position at the 2023 Italian Grand Prix and finished third. He then won the next race in Singapore. This win was special because it ended Red Bull's long winning streak. He finished the 2023 season in seventh place.
In 2024, Carlos started the season with a podium in Bahrain. He missed the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to appendicitis surgery. He returned strong at the 2024 Australian Grand Prix, winning the race. He also won the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix from pole position. He finished the 2024 season in fifth place, his best points total ever. Carlos left Ferrari after the 2024 season.
Joining Williams (2025–Present)
For the 2025 season, Carlos joined Williams. He signed a two-year deal and is partnered with Alexander Albon. He has competed in several races with Williams, showing his skill and determination.
Other Ventures
In February 2025, Carlos was appointed as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA). This group represents Formula One drivers. His role is to share drivers' concerns about safety and racing quality.
Carlos also owns a hamburger restaurant in Madrid called Boogie Burger. He started it in June 2023 with friends.
Images for kids
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Carlos Sainz Jr.'s signature.
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Carlos Sainz Jr. at the 2022 Austrian Grand Prix.
See also
In Spanish: Carlos Sainz Jr. para niños
