Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:Family name hatnote Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox WRC driver

Carlos Sainz Cenamor (born 12 April 1962) is a Spanish rally driver. He won the World Rally Championship drivers' title with Toyota in Template:WRC and Template:WRC, and finished runner-up four times. Constructors' world champions to have benefited from Sainz are Subaru (Template:WRC), Toyota (Template:WRC) and Citroën (Template:WRC, Template:WRC and Template:WRC). In the 2018 season, he was one of the official drivers of the Team Peugeot Total.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He received the Princess of Asturias Sports Award in 2020.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Sainz founded the Acciona | Sainz XE Team to join Extreme E and competed in the first two seasons alongside Laia Sanz.

Nicknamed El Matador, Sainz previously held the WRC record for most career starts until Finnish co-driver Miikka Anttila broke the record.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He was also the first non-Nordic driver to win the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland. He came close to repeating the feat at the Swedish Rally, finishing second four times and third twice. Alongside his WRC successes, he has won the Dakar Rally (2010, 2018, 2020, 2024), the Race of Champions (1997) and the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (1990). His co-drivers were Antonio Boto, Luis Moya, Marc Martí, and Lucas Cruz.

Personal lifeEdit

His son, Carlos Sainz Jr., is also a professional racing driver, who most recently signed a contract to race for Williams Racing in Formula One for the 2025 season, after having driven for Scuderia Ferrari for 4 seasons (2021 to 2024).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He also has an older brother named Antonio Sainz, born on 10 December 1957,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> who was also a rally driver.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early lifeEdit

Sainz was born in Madrid. Before moving into motorsport, he played football and squash. At the age of 11, he got his first driving experience in his sister's Carmen newly bought SEAT 600.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> As a teenager, Real Madrid gave him a trial and in squash he was the Spanish champion at the age of 16. While on a road trip organized with some friends to the Alps, Sainz demonstrated his early driving skills in his friend's and later to be first co-pilot Juanjo Lacalle's SEAT 131 on the snow-capped mountain roads, that the latter impressed promised him he would be the co-pilot in his first race.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He got his first touch of motorsport in Formula Ford while still playing squash and football.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Before dedicating himself to motorsport, Sainz studied law up to the second scheduled cycle.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Rallying careerEdit

Early career (1980–1988)Edit

Sainz began rallying in 1980. In 1981 he won his first Rally Championship in the inaugural season of the 'Copa Panda' one-make rally series launched by SEAT and addressed to young drivers aiming to come close to the motorsport experience.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> After being invited to compete against other pilots also winners of competitions with the Spanish brand, he became in 1982 SEAT's official pilot behind the wheel of a Group 2 SEAT Panda rally car participating in Spanish Championship Rallies.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

He finished runner-up in the Spanish Rally Championship in 1986, in a Group B Renault 5 Turbo, and won it with a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth in 1987 and 1988.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Ford gave him his first World Rally championship appearances during the 1987 season. He finished seventh in the Tour de Corse and eighth on the RAC Rally. He remained with Ford for the following season, now co-driven by Luis Moya, who remained his regular co-driver for the next fifteen years. He finished fifth twice, in the Tour de Corse and the Rallye Sanremo, and seventh on an icy RAC Rally.

Ford were an increasingly minor player in the World Rally Championship, with the rear-wheel-drive Sierra uncompetitive against the four-wheel-drive cars, and struggled to retain ambitious and talented young drivers such as Sainz and his teammate in 1988, Didier Auriol. Both departed the team for 1989; Auriol to Lancia and Sainz to Toyota Team Europe, the Japanese marque's rallying arm operating in Cologne, Germany.

Toyota (1989–1992)Edit

File:Toyota Celica ST185RC.jpg
1992 Toyota Celica GT-Four Carlos Sainz Limited Edition

Despite all previous rallying Toyota Celicas having only ever looked a competitive prospect on highly specialized endurance rallies such as the Safari Rally, the new combination of Toyota and Sainz rapidly rose in competitiveness. In the 1989 season, Sainz started with four retirements but then finished on the podium in three rallies in a row. His teammate, by then two-time world champion Juha Kankkunen, also gave the Celica GT-Four ST165 its debut win at the inaugural Rally Australia. Sainz would almost certainly have won his first World Championship Rally on the final event of the season, the RAC Rally, but for mechanical failure in the final stages, which relegated him to second.

In the 1990 season, Sainz drove his GT-Four to victory at the Acropolis Rally, at the Rally New Zealand, at the 1000 Lakes Rally, as the first non-Nordic driver, and at the RAC Rally, claiming his first world drivers' title, ahead of Lancia's Didier Auriol and Kankkunen, ending the Italian marque's domination of the drivers' world championship since the advent of the Group A era of the sport in 1987.

In Template:WRC, Sainz narrowly failed to defend his title against a resurgent Lancia-mounted Kankkunen, his efforts capped by a dramatic roll of his Celica in Australia which left him in a neckbrace. Both Sainz and Kankkunen took five wins, the first time in the history of the WRC that two drivers had managed such a win tally during one season. Sainz led Kankkunen by one point going into the final round of the season, the RAC Rally, where Kankkunen took his third title by winning ahead of Kenneth Eriksson and Sainz. Kankkunen's and Sainz's point totals, 150 and 143, both broke the record set by Sainz a year earlier (140).

Aboard the new ST185 Toyota Celica in the 1992 season, in a year that would prove the last for the foreseeable future for Lancia, Sainz managed to score memorable victories on the Safari Rally and on his home asphalt round, the Rally Catalunya. The title fight again went down to the wire, and this time in a three-way battle; before the RAC, Sainz led Kankkunen by two points and Auriol, who had taken a record six wins during the season, by three points. Sainz's victory ahead of Ari Vatanen and Kankkunen, combined with Auriol's retirement, confirmed the title in favour of the Spaniard.

A limited number of 440 Celica GT-Four ST185s, carrying his name on a plaque in the vehicle, and with decals on the outside, were sold in the United Kingdom in 1992 in an attempt to capitalise on Sainz's two championship successes with the works team. These were the part of the 5,000 units of ST185 for WRC homologation. It is said that Sainz still keeps a Celica GT-Four given to him by Toyota, which he drives to Real Madrid games at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

Lancia (1993)Edit

File:Lancia Delta HF Integrale 01.jpg
A Replica of an ex-Sainz Lancia Delta HF Integrale during Lancia centenary celebrations in Turin

Despite winning the world title Sainz left Toyota at the end of 1992, mainly because for the 1993 season the team was to be sponsored by Castrol, a rival to Sainz's personal sponsor, Repsol. Sainz therefore moved to the private but Lancia-backed Jolly Club. Lancia had won the manufacturers' championship for the previous six years, but the Delta was an ageing design and technical developments during the season were minor, despite assurances given to Sainz that development would continue. The Delta lost ground to newer cars, and became less and less competitive as 1993 wore on. Sainz's only podium finish was his second place at the Acropolis Rally. He finished second on the San Remo Rally, but he and his teammate were later disqualified for using illegal fuel.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> He finished eighth in the drivers' championship, which was won by Toyota driver Juha Kankkunen. Lancia withdrew from the sport altogether at the end of the season.

Subaru (1994–1995)Edit

Sainz then chose to drive for the then fledgling Subaru World Rally Team in Template:WRC, where he replaced Ari Vatanen. Sainz's experience, perfectionism and abilities as a development driver played a vital role in developing the then-new Impreza to the point where it could mount a sustained challenge to Toyota and Ford. Indeed, in the hands of Sainz and Colin McRae the Subarus were frequently faster than the Fords during the season. Toyota won the manufacturers' title, but the drivers' championship was only settled on the final round, with Didier Auriol winning ahead of Sainz. In the 1995 season, he won the Monte Carlo Rally, the Rally Portugal and the Rally Catalunya. At this latter event he was trailing his teammate Colin McRae until the team ordered the Scotsman to slow down and allow Sainz to win, which led to a dispute between the drivers. Nevertheless, they were tied for the lead in the drivers' world championship going into the season-ending RAC Rally. McRae won his home event 36 seconds ahead of Sainz, despite losing time with mechanical difficulties that at one stage had put him two minutes behind. Subaru secured their first manufacturers' title with a triple win as the team's second young Briton, Richard Burns, finished third. Sainz was later to join McRae at both Ford and Citroën.

Return to Ford (1996–1997)Edit

Sainz was supposed to return to Toyota for 1996 season, however the Toyota Team Europe was banned for the season following the cheating scandal surrounding the Celica's turbo restrictor.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Instead Sainz decided to join the factory Ford, bringing the Repsol sponsorship with him. He spent two seasons with the squad, aboard the Ford Escort RS Cosworth and later, the Escort World Rally Car. In 1996, he won the inaugural Rally Indonesia and with five other podium finishes to his name, he took third place in the drivers' world championship, behind Mitsubishi's Tommi Mäkinen and Subaru's McRae. In the 1997 season, he again won the Indonesian round, along with the Acropolis Rally, but again lost the title fight to Mäkinen and McRae. However, he won the Race of Champions at the end of 1997.

Return to Toyota (1998–1999)Edit

Sainz then departed, once again, for Toyota, partnering Didier Auriol and helping to further the Corolla World Rally Car project that had been instituted in 1997, as part of the Cologne based team's recovery from the embarrassment of exclusion from the world championship on the penultimate round of the 1995 season.

Sainz won on his first outing for them, on the 1998 season opener Monte Carlo Rally, and later in the season, added a victory in New Zealand. The seemingly terminal blow to title rival Tommi Mäkinen's chances was his retirement on the first day of the final event of the year, the Rally Great Britain, which gave the initiative to Sainz, who now only had to finish fourth in order to ensure the title. However, just Template:Convert from the finish of the last stage, he too was forced to retire from the needed fourth place with a mechanical problem. As a result, both Sainz and Toyota gifted their respective titles to rivals Mäkinen and Mitsubishi Ralliart.<ref>FIA World Rally Championship HISTORY REVIEW/ Wales Rally GB 2013 - Rally of Legends Template:Webarchive YouTube, 10 November 2013</ref>

File:Toyota Corolla WRC 2000.jpg
An ex-Sainz Corolla WRC at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show

A subdued season followed for Sainz in 1999, although it did at least culminate in a departing manufacturers' title for Toyota, by now fostering alternative interests in Formula One. Sainz took a total of eight podiums, but no wins, and finished fifth in the drivers' standings, behind his third-placed teammate Auriol who had taken his only win of the season at the inaugural China Rally.

Second return to Ford (2000–2002)Edit

File:Cs2 ford.jpg
Sainz driving his Ford Focus WRC at the 2001 Rally Finland

This was the precursor of another, three-year stint with Ford, again alongside McRae, beginning with the 2000 season. He won the inaugural edition of the Cyprus round of the world championship, and finished third in the drivers' points standings.

Sainz failed to score a victory on any rally during the 2001 season, but with five podiums and four other point-scoring finishes, he managed to keep himself in the title fight throughout the very closely contested season, eventually finishing sixth in the standings, only eleven points adrift of the champion, Subaru's Richard Burns. Meanwhile, teammate McRae took three wins and led the championship before the season-ending Rally GB, where McRae crashed out. Ford also lost the manufacturer's title to Peugeot.

In Template:WRC, Sainz inherited the victory of the Rally Argentina, having provisionally finished third, due to the disqualifications of the two leading Peugeots of Marcus Grönholm and Burns. This was his only win of the season, and in a close fight for second place in the drivers' championship, behind the dominant Grönholm, Sainz finished third, one point ahead of his teammate McRae.

Citroën (2003–2005)Edit

Effectively frozen out along with McRae at Ford, he along with the Scot moved to Citroën for the Template:WRC, during which he scored one win in Turkey – which was the first gravel event win for Citroën Xsara WRC – and finished third in the championship. Sainz continued with the team in the Template:WRC season, and scored his final world rally victory at the 2004 Rally Argentina. During the Rally Catalonia 2004, after announcing his retirement, Sainz was considered by drivers, codrivers and directors of the official teams, as the best rally driver of history.<ref name="carlos-sainz">Statistics Template:Webarchive Carlos-Sainz.com; Retrieved 28 March 2013</ref> In the championship, Sainz finished fourth, after missing out the final rally in Australia, due an accident during pre-event recce.<ref>Sainz to miss Australia Crash.net, 10 November 2004; Retrieved 28 March 2013</ref>

Despite formally retiring at the end of the 2004 season, with a possible view to moving into the World Touring Car Championship, he was invited back to the WRC fold on the request of Citroën, to replace the faltering Belgian driver François Duval. Although Duval was soon to reclaim his seat, Sainz's two rallies back in the Citroën impressed many, with the now 43-year-old Spaniard posting fourth and third finishing positions respectively.

Later career in rally raidEdit

In 2006, Sainz was at the wheel of a Volkswagen in that year's Dakar Rally, sharing the cockpit with the two times winner of the Dakar Rally, Andreas Schulz. In 2007, he repeated his attempt with Volkswagen, this time with French Michel Perin, also a former winner of the raid. Following the resignation of Fernando Martin, he even ran, eventually in vain, for the vice-president position at his beloved football club Real Madrid, for which he once trained. In 2007 Sainz won the FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup with the Volkswagen team. In 2008, he won the Central Europe Rally, which was the relocated and rescheduled Dakar Rally for that year because of a terrorist attack.<ref>The film of the stage Central Europe Rally 2008 Template:Webarchive</ref> In January 2009, partnering again with Perin, he led the Dakar Rally until crashing out on the 12th stage.<ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref> Later in 2009 Sainz won Silk Way Rally with Volkswagen team.<ref>classements Silk Way Rally 2009 Template:Webarchive retrieved 14 September 2009</ref> At the 2010 Dakar Rally, Sainz changed again co-pilot, teaming with fellow Spaniard Lucas Cruz. Sainz edged out teammate Nasser Al-Attiyah to take his maiden win in the event.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 2010 Sainz also won the Silk Way Rally for the second time.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In the 2011 Dakar Rally, Sainz finished third.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Sainz entered Dakar Rally 2013 in a brand-new two-wheel-drive buggy. His teammate was former Dakar-winner Nasser Al-Attiyah and the team was supported by Qatar and Red Bull.<ref>WRC aces face new Dakar challenge Template:Webarchive WRC.com Retrieved 22 November 2012</ref> Sainz won the first stage, but faced later various problems and was finally forced to retire on the sixth stage due to an engine failure.<ref>Carlos Sainz abandona en el Dakar Template:Webarchive Template:In lang Carlos Sainz.com; Retrieved 10 January 2013</ref> After the retirement Sainz commented that despite the result, "it was worth coming here with this concept ... I hope the experience will be useful for the future even if I'm not sure whether I'll come back”.<ref>Stage 6 Quotes: Dakar Dakar.com Template:Webarchive</ref> However, later Sainz announced he would like to be part of Qatar Red Bull Rally Team and return to the Dakar in 2014.<ref>News – Carlos Sainz: Sainz vows to return to Dakar Template:Webarchive Carlos-Sainz.com; Retrieved 9 March 2013</ref> Sainz took part in the 2014 Dakar, but was forced to retire after a crash on stage 10.<ref>Dakar: Nasser Al-Attiyah wins stage 10 as Carlos Sainz crashes out Template:Webarchive Autosport, 15 January 2014; Retrieved 29 March 2014</ref>

In March 2014 it was announced that Peugeot Sport would return to Dakar in 2015 and Sainz joined Cyril Despres to race for Peugeot, driving its Peugeot 2008 DKR.<ref>marathonrally.com - Dakar Rally 2015: Carlos Sainz and Cyril Despres to start with Peugeot 2015 Template:Webarchive MarathonRally.com, 26 March 2014; Retrieved 29 March 2015</ref><ref>Sainz leaves VW after Dakar deal Template:Webarchive WRC.com, March 2014; Retrieved 29 March 2014</ref> In the rally he retired after a crash.<ref>Dakar 2015: Coma on the comeback trail, Sainz out Template:Webarchive Red Bull, 8 January 2014; Retrieved 19 January 2016</ref> In Dakar 2016 Sainz was forced to retire from the lead after the gearbox of his Peugeot broke.<ref>"Carlos Sainz out of Dakar Rally after gearbox failure on Peugeot" Template:Webarchive El Pais English, 14 January 2016; Retrieved 19 January 2016</ref> In 2017 Sainz also had to retire after rolling his Peugeot during the fourth stage of the rally.<ref>Sainz explains crash: “I was pushing to recover lost time” Template:Webarchive MotorSport.com, 6 January 2017; Retrieved 6 January 2017</ref> In 2018, Sainz took the second Dakar win of his career with Peugeot team.<ref>"Dakar Rally 2018: Carlos Sainz wins race for second time" Template:Webarchive, BBC Sport, 20 January 2018; Retrieved 4 February 2018</ref>

After Peugeot shut down its rally raid programme, Sainz joined X-Raid to drive a Mini at the 2019 Dakar Rally.<ref>Peugeot refugee Sainz joins X-raid Mini for 2019 Dakar Rally Template:Webarchive - Sergio Lillo, Motorsport.com, 29 August 2018</ref> He stuck the car in a large hole on stage 3, damaging the suspension, but limped to the end of the stage and finished the event 13th.

Sainz won his third Dakar Rally in 2020, with co-driver Lucas Cruz. The duo registered four stage wins to their name, before finally winning the race with a lead of just 6 minutes and 21 seconds.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Sainz returned to the Dakar Rally in 2021 with Mini, recording three stage victories on the way to an overall third-place finish.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

After joining Audi in 2022, Sainz won his fourth Dakar Rally in 2024, becoming the oldest Dakar winner at age 61.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Volkswagen's WRC projectEdit

As Volkswagen Motorsport announced its WRC entry for 2013, Sainz was announced to be part of the WRC project. Volkswagen's motorsport director Kris Nissen told that he needed "10 seconds" to convince Sainz to remain part of the company's efforts in the new programme. Nissen told that the team would need Sainz for some testing of the new car.<ref>Polo WRC will run this year Template:Webarchive AutoSport, 5 May 2011; Retrieved 3 June 2011</ref> In November 2011, Sainz had the honour to drive first kilometres with the new Volkswagen Polo R WRC near Trier, Germany, when the team began testing the new car.<ref>First outing: Volkswagen starts testing progremme with Polo R WRC MotorSport.com Template:Webarchive Retrieved 10 November 2011</ref> In late 2011, Nissen also revealed he would like to see Sainz taking part in some rally with the WRC Polo before he calls time on his career.<ref>World Rally Championship – Nissen to offer Vettel WRC test Template:Webarchive WRC.com; Retrieved 30 December 2011</ref> In early 2012 Sainz drove the Polo WRC in its maiden gravel test in Spain with Sébastien Ogier<ref>Carlos Sainz tries Volkswagen's Polo World Rally car for first time Template:Webarchive Autosport, 2 March 2012; Retrieved 2 March 2012</ref> and in summer he tested the Polo WRC in Finland.<ref>YouTube.com – Carlos Sainz tests VW Polo WRC @ Ehikki, Finland Template:Webarchive YouTube, 27 June 2012; Retrieved 20 September 2012</ref> In October Sainz re-joined his old co-driver Luis Moya to perform course car duties on the San Marino´s annual Rally Legend event with Volkswagen's new-for-2013 Polo R WRC.<ref>WLegends join forces for Polo R WRC run Template:Webarchive WRC.com; Retrieved 16 October 2012</ref> In December 2012 Sainz dismissed rumours he would drive a Polo WRC in some of the WRC-rallies in 2013, but stated he was available for testing, if needed.<ref>I won't rally Polo, insists Sainz Template:Webarchive WRC.com; Retrieved 14 December 2012</ref>

Sainz returned to competing in 2012, as he entered a historic rally with his old co-driver Luis Moya in Spain. The pair competed in a Porsche 911 rally car and won the rally.<ref>WRC legend Sainz back to winning ways Template:Webarchive WRC.com; Retrieved 20 September 2012</ref> The pair made a return to historic rallies in March 2013 by winning Rally de España Histórico with a Porsche 911.<ref>Carlos Sainz vuelve a imponerse en el Rallye de España con un Porsche 911 Template:Webarchive Carlos-Sainz.com; Retrieved 2 March 2013 Template:In lang</ref>

Sainz XE TeamEdit

Template:Infobox motor racing team

In November 2020, it was announced that Sainz would team up with QEV Technologies to form Acciona | Sainz XE Team to join the all-electric SUV off-road racing series Extreme E in the inaugural season with Laia Sanz and himself as the drivers line-up.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The team made its Extreme E debut at the 2021 Desert X-Prix and achieved a podium finish at the Arctic X-Prix. The team finished in sixth in the teams championship. The team maintained the drivers line-up for the 2022 season and achieved two podiums at the Desert and Copper X-Prixs. The team finished in third in the teams' championship.

The team again maintained the drivers line-up for the 2023 season.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> However, in January 2023, Sainz suffered multiple spinal fractures after crashing at the Dakar Rally and was replaced by Mattias Ekström for the season.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The team started strongly at the Desert X-Prix – in Round 1, the team qualified the fastest, achieved a super sector and finished the race in second place. In Round 2, the team won their first race in Extreme E.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The team won its second race in Round 7 at the Island X-Prix II.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> At the final two rounds of the season, the team finished in second and suffered a DNF respectively, losing the championship to RXR by 11 points.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

For the 2024 season, Ekström moved to McLaren XE and was replaced by Fraser McConnell.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> On 6 September, a week before the scheduled Island X-Prix, Extreme E announced that the rounds in Sardinia and Phoenix were cancelled.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Racing overviewEdit

Year Name Car Tyres No. Template:Abbr Drivers Rounds Pts. Pos.
2021 Template:Flagicon Acciona | Sainz XE Team Spark Odyssey 21 Template:Continental 55. F Template:Flagicon Laia Sanz (1–5) 100 6th
M Template:Flagicon Carlos Sainz Sr. (1–5)
2022 Template:Flagicon Acciona | Sainz XE Team Spark Odyssey 21 Template:Continental 55. F Template:Flagicon Laia Sanz (1–5) 66 3rd
M Template:Flagicon Carlos Sainz Sr. (1–5)
2023 Template:Flagicon Acciona | Sainz XE Team Spark Odyssey 21 Template:Continental 55. F Template:Flagicon Laia Sanz (1–10) 171 2nd
M Template:Flagicon Mattias Ekström (1–10)

Racing summaryEdit

Year Series Races Wins Pod. Template:Abbr Template:Abbr Pts. Pos.
2021 Extreme E 5 0 1 0 0 100 6th
2022 Extreme E 5 0 2 0 0 66 3rd
2023 Extreme E 10 2 6 4 3 171 2nd
Total 20 2 9 4 3 337

Complete Extreme E resultsEdit

(Races in bold indicate best qualifiers; races in italics indicate fastest super sector)

Year Entrant 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Pts. Pos.
2021 Acciona | Sainz XE Team DES
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
OCE
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
ARC
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
ISL
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
JUR
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
100 6th
2022 Acciona | Sainz XE Team DES
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
ISL1
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
ISL2
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
COP
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
ENE
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
66 3rd
2023 Acciona | Sainz XE Team DES1
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
DES2
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
HYD1
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
HYD2
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
ISL-I1
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
ISL-I2
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
ISL-II1
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
ISL-II2
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
COP1
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
COP2
Template:Flagicon
Template:Small
171 2nd

RecognitionsEdit

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • Gold Medal for Sporting Merit 2001 – Awarded by Ayuntamiento de Madrid<ref name="carlos-sainz" />
  • Medal of youth and sports and associative engagement 2008 – Awarded by the French Government<ref name="carlos-sainz" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

  • In May 2020, Carlos Sainz was crowned The Greatest WRC Driver of all time in a poll of fans and expert journalists.<ref name="greatest">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

TitlesEdit

Season Title Car
1987 Spanish Rally Champion Ford Sierra RS Cosworth
1988 Spanish Rally Champion Ford Sierra RS Cosworth
1990 Asia-Pacific Rally Champion Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
1990 World Rally Champion Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
1992 World Rally Champion Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD ST185
1997 Champion of Champions Various
2007 FIA Cross-Country Rally World Cup<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Volkswagen Race Touareg
2008 Central Europe Rally (cars) Volkswagen Race Touareg
2010 2010 Dakar Rally Winner (cars)<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation CitationClass=web

}}</ref>

Volkswagen Race Touareg
2018 2018 Dakar Rally Winner (cars) Peugeot 3008 DKR Maxi
2020 2020 Dakar Rally Winner (cars) Mini John Cooper Works Buggy
2024 2024 Dakar Rally Winner (cars) Audi RS Q e-tron

WRC victoriesEdit

 #  Event Season Co-driver Car
1 Template:Flagicon Acropolis Rally Template:WRC Luis Moya Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
2 Template:Flagicon Rally New Zealand Template:WRC Luis Moya Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
3 Template:Flagicon 1000 Lakes Rally Template:WRC Luis Moya Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
4 Template:Flagicon RAC Rally Template:WRC Luis Moya Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
5 Template:Flagicon Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo Template:WRC Luis Moya Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
6 Template:Flagicon Rallye de Portugal Template:WRC Luis Moya Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
7 Template:Flagicon Tour de Corse – Rallye de France Template:WRC Luis Moya Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
8 Template:Flagicon Rally New Zealand Template:WRC Luis Moya Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
9 Template:Flagicon Rally Argentina Template:WRC Luis Moya Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165
10 Template:Flagicon Safari Rally Template:WRC Luis Moya Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
11 Template:Flagicon Rally New Zealand Template:WRC Luis Moya Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
12 Template:Flagicon Rallye Catalunya-Costa Brava (Rallye de España) Template:WRC Luis Moya Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
13 Template:Flagicon RAC Rally Template:WRC Luis Moya Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
14 Template:Flagicon Acropolis Rally Template:WRC Luis Moya Subaru Impreza 555
15 Template:Flagicon Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo Template:WRC Luis Moya Subaru Impreza 555
16 Template:Flagicon Rallye de Portugal Template:WRC Luis Moya Subaru Impreza 555
17 Template:Flagicon Rallye Catalunya-Costa Brava (Rallye de España) Template:WRC Luis Moya Subaru Impreza 555
18 Template:Flagicon Rally Indonesia Template:WRC Luis Moya Ford Escort RS Cosworth
19 Template:Flagicon Acropolis Rally Template:WRC Luis Moya Ford Escort WRC
20 Template:Flagicon Rally Indonesia Template:WRC Luis Moya Ford Escort WRC
21 Template:Flagicon Rallye Automobile Monte Carlo Template:WRC Luis Moya Toyota Corolla WRC
22 Template:Flagicon Rally New Zealand Template:WRC Luis Moya Toyota Corolla WRC
23 Template:Flagicon Cyprus Rally Template:WRC Luis Moya Ford Focus RS WRC 00
24 Template:Flagicon Rally Argentina Template:WRC Luis Moya Ford Focus RS WRC 02
25 Template:Flagicon Rally of Turkey Template:WRC Marc Martí Citroën Xsara WRC
26 Template:Flagicon Rally Argentina Template:WRC Marc Martí Citroën Xsara WRC

Dakar Rally stage winsEdit

# Date From To Edition Co-Driver Car
1 31 December 2005 Template:Flagicon Lisbon Template:Flagicon Portimão 2006 Dakar Rally Template:Flagicon Andreas Schulz Template:Flagicon Volkswagen
2 1 January 2006 Template:Flagicon Portimão Template:Flagicon Málaga Template:Flagicon Andreas Schulz
3 3 January 2006 Template:Flagicon Er Rachidia Template:Flagicon Ouarzazate Template:Flagicon Andreas Schulz
4 10 January 2006 Template:Flagicon Kiffa Template:Flagicon Kayes Template:Flagicon Andreas Schulz
5 7 January 2007 Template:Flagicon Portimão Template:Flagicon Málaga 2007 Dakar Rally Template:Nowrap
6 10 January 2007 Template:Flagicon Ouarzazate Template:Flagicon Tan-Tan Template:Nowrap
7 18 January 2007 Template:Flagicon Ayoun el Atrous Template:Flagicon Kayes Template:Nowrap
8 19 January 2007 Template:Flagicon Kayes Template:Flagicon Tambacounda Template:Nowrap
9 20 January 2007 Template:Flagicon Tambacounda Template:Flagicon Dakar Template:Nowrap
10 4 January 2009 Template:Flagicon Santa Rosa Template:Flagicon Puerto Madryn 2009 Dakar Rally Template:Nowrap
11 6 January 2009 Template:Flagicon Jacobacci Template:Flagicon Neuquén Template:Nowrap
12 9 January 2009 Template:Flagicon Mendoza Template:Flagicon Valparaíso Template:Nowrap
13 11 January 2009 Template:Flagicon Valparaíso Template:Flagicon La Serena Template:Nowrap
14 12 January 2009 Template:Flagicon La Serena Template:Flagicon Copiapó Template:Nowrap
15 13 January 2009 Template:Flagicon Copiapó Template:Flagicon Copiapó Template:Nowrap
16 12 January 2010 Template:Flagicon La Serena Template:Flagicon Santiago 2010 Dakar Rally Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
17 14 January 2010 Template:Flagicon San Juan Template:Flagicon San Rafael Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
18 2 January 2011 Template:Flagicon Buenos Aires Template:Flagicon Córdoba 2011 Dakar Rally Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
19 3 January 2011 Template:Flagicon Córdoba Template:Flagicon San Miguel de Tucumán Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
20 5 January 2011 Template:Flagicon San Salvador de Jujuy Template:Flagicon Calama Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
21 7 January 2011 Template:Flagicon Iquique Template:Flagicon Arica Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
22 11 January 2011 Template:Flagicon Copiapó Template:Flagicon Copiapó Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
23 14 January 2011 Template:Flagicon San Juan Template:Flagicon Córdoba Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
24 15 January 2011 Template:Flagicon Córdoba Template:Flagicon Buenos Aires Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
25 5 January 2013 Template:Flagicon Lima Template:Flagicon Pisco 2013 Dakar Rally Template:Flagicon Timo Gottschalk Template:Flagicon Demon Jefferies
2º6 8 January 2014 Template:Flagicon San Juan Template:Flagicon Chilecito 2014 Dakar Rally Template:Flagicon Timo Gottschalk Template:Flagicon SMG
27 12 January 2014 Template:Flagicon Salta Template:Flagicon Salta Template:Flagicon Timo Gottschalk
28 9 January 2016 Template:Flagicon Uyuni Template:Flagicon Salta 2016 Dakar Rally Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz Template:Flagicon Peugeot
29 12 January 2016 Template:Flagicon Belén Template:Flagicon Belén Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
30 11 January 2018 Template:Flagicon Arequipa Template:Flagicon La Paz 2018 Dakar Rally Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
31 13 January 2018 Template:Flagicon La Paz Template:Flagicon Uyuni Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
32 17 January 2019 Template:Flagicon Pisco Template:Flagicon Lima 2019 Dakar Rally Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz Template:Flagicon Mini
33 7 January 2020 Template:Flagicon Neom Template:Flagicon Neom 2020 Dakar Rally Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
34 9 January 2020 Template:Flagicon Al-ʿUla Template:Flagicon Ha'il Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
35 12 January 2020 Template:Flagicon Riyadh Template:Flagicon Wadi Al Dwasir Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
36 15 January 2020 Template:Flagicon Haradh Template:Flagicon Shubaytah Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
37 3 January 2021 Template:Flagicon Jeddah Template:Flagicon Bisha 2021 Dakar Rally Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
38 8 January 2021 Template:Flagicon Buraydah Template:Flagicon Ha'il Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
39 14 January 2021 Template:Flagicon Yanbu Template:Flagicon Jeddah Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
40 4 January 2022 Template:Flagicon Al Qaisumah Template:Flagicon Al Qaisumah 2022 Dakar Rally Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz Template:Flagicon Audi
41 13 January 2022 Template:Flagicon Bisha Template:Flagicon Bisha Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz
42 1 January 2023 Template:Flagicon Sea Camp Template:Flagicon Sea Camp 2023 Dakar Rally Template:Flagicon Lucas Cruz

Racing recordEdit

Complete WRC resultsEdit

Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Pos Points
Template:WRC Marlboro Rally Team Ford Sierra RS Cosworth MON SWE POR
Ret
KEN FRA
7
GRC USA NZL ARG FIN CIV ITA 35th 7
RAC de España GBR
8
Template:WRC Carlos Sainz Ford Sierra RS Cosworth MON SWE POR
Ret
11th 26
Ford Motor Co KEN FRA
5
GRC USA NZL ARG FIN
6
CIV ITA
5
GBR
7
Template:WRC Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165 SWE MON
Ret
POR
Ret
KEN FRA
Ret
GRC
Ret
NZL ARG FIN
3
AUS ITA
3
CIV GBR
2
8th 39
Template:WRC Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165 MON
2
POR
Ret
KEN
4
FRA
2
GRC
1
NZL
1
ARG
2
FIN
1
AUS
2
ITA
3
CIV GBR
1
1st 140
Template:WRC Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica GT-Four ST165 MON
1
SWE POR
1
KEN
Ret
FRA
1
GRC
2
NZL
1
ARG
1
FIN
4
AUS
Ret
ITA
6
CIV ESP
Ret
GBR
3
2nd 143
Template:WRC Toyota Team Europe Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD MON
2
SWE POR
3
KEN
1
FRA
4
GRC
Ret
NZL
1
ARG
2
FIN AUS
3
ITA CIV ESP
1
GBR
1
1st 144
Template:WRC Jolly Club Lancia Delta HF Integrale MON
14
SWE POR
Ret
KEN FRA
4
GRC
2
ARG
Ret
NZL
4
FIN AUS
Ret
ITA
DSQ
ESP
Ret
GBR 8th 35
Template:WRC 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza 555 MON
3
POR
4
KEN FRA
2
GRC
1
ARG
2
NZL
Ret
FIN
3
ITA
2
GBR
Ret
2nd 99
Template:WRC 555 Subaru World Rally Team Subaru Impreza 555 MON
1
SWE
Ret
POR
1
FRA
4
NZL AUS
Ret
ESP
1
GBR
2
2nd 85
Template:WRC Ford Motor Co Ford Escort RS Cosworth SWE
2
KEN
Ret
IDN
1
GRC
3
ARG
2
FIN
Ret
AUS
3
ITA
2
ESP
Ret
3rd 89
Template:WRC Ford Motor Co Ford Escort WRC MON
2
SWE
2
KEN
Ret
POR
Ret
ESP
10
FRA
2
ARG
Ret
GRC
1
NZL
2
FIN
Ret
IDN
1
ITA
4
AUS
Ret
GBR
3
3rd 51
Template:WRC Toyota Castrol Team Toyota Corolla WRC MON
1
SWE
2
KEN
Ret
POR
2
ESP
7
FRA
8
ARG
2
GRC
4
NZL
1
FIN
2
ITA
4
AUS
2
GBR
Ret
2nd 56
Template:WRC Toyota Castrol Team Toyota Corolla WRC MON
Ret
SWE
2
KEN
3
POR
2
ESP
Ret
FRA
3
ARG
5
GRC
2
NZL
6
FIN
3
CHN
3
ITA
Ret
AUS
2
GBR
Ret
5th 44
Template:WRC Ford Motor Co Ford Focus RS WRC 00 MON
2
SWE
Ret
KEN
4
POR
3
ESP
3
ARG
Ret
GRC
2
NZL
3
FIN
14
CYP
1
FRA
3
ITA
5
AUS
DSQ
GBR
4
3rd 46
Template:WRC Ford Motor Co Ford Focus RS WRC 01 MON
2
SWE
3
POR
2
ESP
5
ARG
3
CYP
3
GRC
Ret
KEN
Ret
FIN
6
NZL
4
ITA
4
FRA
Ret
AUS
8
GBR
WD
6th 33
Template:WRC Ford Motor Co Ford Focus RS WRC 02 MON
3
SWE
3
FRA
6
ESP
Ret
CYP
11
ARG
1
GRC
3
KEN
Ret
FIN
4
GER
8
ITA
Ret
NZL
4
AUS
4
GBR
3
3rd 36
Template:WRC Citroën Total Citroën Xsara WRC MON
3
SWE
9
TUR
1
NZL
12
ARG
2
GRC
2
CYP
5
GER
6
FIN
4
AUS
5
ITA
4
FRA
2
ESP
7
GBR
Ret
3rd 63
Template:WRC Citroën Total Citroën Xsara WRC MON
Ret
SWE
5
MEX
3
NZL
6
CYP
3
GRC
19
TUR
4
ARG
1
FIN
3
GER
3
JPN
5
GBR
4
ITA
3
FRA
3
ESP
3
AUS
WD
4th 73
Template:WRC Citroën Total Citroën Xsara WRC MON SWE MEX NZL ITA CYP TUR
4
GRC
3
ARG FIN GER GBR JPN FRA ESP AUS 13th 11

Dakar Rally resultsEdit

Year Class Vehicle Position Stages won
2006 Car Template:Flagicon Volkswagen 11th 4
2007 9th 5
2008 cancelled
2009 Car Template:Flagicon Volkswagen DNF 6
2010 1st 2
2011 3rd 7
2012 did not enter
2013 Car Template:Flagicon Demon Jefferies DNF 1
2014 Template:Flagicon SMG DNF 2
2015 Template:Flagicon Peugeot DNF 0
2016 DNF 2
2017 DNF 0
2018 1st 2
2019 Template:Flagicon Mini 13th 1
2020 1st 4
2021 3rd 3
2022 Template:Flagicon Audi 12th 2
2023 DNF 1
2024 1st 0
2025 Template:Flagicon Ford DNF 0

Complete Extreme E resultsEdit

(key)

Year Team Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Template:Tooltip Points
2021 Acciona | Sainz XE Team Spark ODYSSEY 21 DES
Q

Template:Small
DES
R

Template:Small
OCE
Q

Template:Small
OCE
R

Template:Small
ARC
Q

Template:Small
ARC
R

Template:Small
ISL
Q

Template:Small
ISL
R

Template:Small
JUR
Q

Template:Small
JUR
R

Template:Small
5th Template:Tooltip
2022 Acciona | Sainz XE Team Spark ODYSSEY 21 DES
Template:Small
ISL1
Template:Small
ISL2
Template:Small
COP
Template:Small
ENE
Template:Small
3rd Template:Tooltip

Complete World Rally-Raid Championship resultsEdit

(key)

Year Team Car Class 1 2 3 4 5 Template:Tooltip Points
2023 Team Audi Sport Audi RS Q e-tron E2 T1+ DAK
Template:Small
ABU SON DES MOR
Template:Small
21st 11
2024 Team Audi Sport Audi RS Q e-tron T1+ DAK
Template:Small
ABU PRT DES MOR
2025 Ford M sport T1+ DAK
Template:Small

ReferencesEdit

Template:Reflist

External linksEdit

Template:Sister project

Template:S-start Template:S-ach Template:Succession box Template:S-sports Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:S-ach Template:Succession box Template:Succession box Template:S-end

Template:Extreme E teams Template:World Rally Champions Template:Autosport International Rally Driver Award Template:Dakar Rally winners Template:Princess of Asturias Award for Sports Template:Spanish Sportsman of the Year Template:Authority control