Carlos Sainz

Carlos Sainz was born in Madrid on April 12, 1962.

At the age of 16 he is proclaimed Squash Champion of Spain. He studied at the Retamar school in Pozuelo de Alarcón and later at the University of Law until the second year, leaving them to devote himself professionally to race car driving, encouraged by his brother Antonio and his friends Juan Carlos Oñoro and Juanjo Lacalle.

He has been married to Reyes Vázquez de Castro since 1992, and is the father of three children, Blanca (1993), Carlos (1994) and Ana (1998). An innate sportsman, he has always stood out for his great love and ability in all kinds of sports: soccer, golf, tennis, motocross, skiing and squash.

But where he really is a great specialist is in the world of rallying with an uncommon talent for turning a good car into a winning machine. He is the only Spanish driver to win the World Rally Championship in 1990 and 1992.

In 2007 he added a new title to his list of honors, the FIA World Cross Country Rally Championship after winning the Transiberico Rally. In 2010 he further magnified his legend by winning the Dakar Rally, becoming the only Spaniard to do so in the car category, a milestone he repeated in 2018, when he achieved his second victory in the 40th edition of the Dakar Rally, the toughest event held in South America.

In 2019 he signed with the MINI X Raid team where he started working with the MINI JCW Buggy. In the last edition of the Dakar in South America, things did not go as he wanted and mechanical problems kept him out of the fight for the win. From here he started with the tuning of the MINI where good results were already seen in the Rallye du Maroc where he finished second.

In the Dakar 2020, he achieved a great victory by dominating practically the entire event, winning four stages and becoming the first winner of the new Dakar era in Saudi Arabia and winning the mythical Dakar with three different brands: Volkswagen, Peugeot and MINI.

List of winners

2010 He continues with the Volkswagen Motorsport team, with the Touareg.
Winner of the Argentina-Chile Dakar Rally
1st position in the Silk Road Rally, held in Russia.
2011 Third place finisher in the Dakar Rally-Argentina-Chile-Peru
Sports advisor to the Volkswagen Motorsport team
Development test driver of the Volkswagen Polo R WRC
4th position in the 500 km of Alcañiz with his son, Carlos Sainz Jr.
2012 Winner of Rallye España Histórico with a Porsche 911
Sports advisor to the Volkswagen Motorsport team
Development test driver of the Volkswagen Polo R WRC
2013 1 stage victory in the Dakar Rallye with the Qatar Red Bull Buggy

Winner of Rallye España Histórico with a Porsche 911

Sports advisor to the Volkswagen Motorsport team
2014 2 stage victories in the Dakar Rally with the SMG Red Bull Buggy
Winner of the Verva Street Racing rally driver category.
Abandonment in the Dakar Rally due to accident
2015 Official Team Peugeot Total driver for the Dakar Rallye
2016 Official Team Peugeot Total driver for the Dakar Rallye
2 stage victories in the Dakar Rally with the Peugeot 2008 DKR16
Abandonment in the Dakar Rally due to mechanical failure
2017 Official Team Peugeot Total driver for the Dakar Rallye

Abandonment in the Dakar Rally due to an accident while leading the race
2018 Official Team Peugeot Total driver for the Dakar Rallye
Winner Dakar Rallye with Peugeot 3008 DKR Maxi
2 stage victories in the Dakar Rallye
2019 Dakar Rally
Official X-raid MINI JCW Team – Red Bull driver
1 stage victory with the Mini John Cooper Works Buggy
Bahrain JCW X-Raid Team Morocco Rally Bahrain JCW X-Raid Team
Second position
Two stage wins
Finishes the Dakar Rally in 13th place
2020 Dakar Rally
Official Bahrain JCW X-Raid Team rider
Winner of the Dakar Rally with the Mini John Cooper Works Buggy.
Four stage wins
2021 Dakar Rally
Official X-raid MINI JCW Team – Red Bull driver
Third classified
3 stage wins with the Mini John Cooper Works Buggy
2022 Dakar Rally
Official Audi driver
2 stage victories with the Audi RS Q e-tron
Historic victory as the first driver to win a Dakar stage in an electric vehicle
2023 Dakar Rally
Official Audi driver
1 stage victory
Abandonment due to accident
2024 Official Audi Sport driver.
Winner Dakar Rallye with Audi RS Q e-tron.
2000 After withdrawing from the Toyota team in the World Rally Championship, with which he had a relationship until 2001, he signed a two-year contract with the FORD MARTINI MOVISTAR team to race the FOCUS WRC. He continues with his personal sponsors: Fortuna and Campofrio.

  • MONTECARLO – 2nd Absolute
  • SWEDEN -Abandonment
  • SAFARI – 4th Absolute
  • PORTUGAL – 3rd Absolute
  • CATALONIA-SPAIN – 3rd Absolute
  • ARGENTINA -Departure
  • ACRÓPOLIS – 2nd Absolute
  • NEW ZEALAND – 3rd Absolute
  • FINLAND – 14th Absolute
  • CYPRUS – 1st Absolute
  • CÓRCEGA – 3rd Absolute
  • SANREMO – 5th Absolute
  • AUSTRALIA – Abandonment
  • RAC-INGLATERRA – 4th Absolute

THIRD IN THE WORLD RALLY DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP
2001 He continues to fulfill his contract with the FORD MARTINI MOVISTAR team, racing the FOCUS WRC. His personal sponsors for this season, Fortuna and Campofrio, will continue.

  • MONTECARLO – 2nd Absolute
  • SWEDEN -3rd Absolute
  • PORTUGAL – 2nd Absolute
  • CATALUNYA COSTA BRAVA-SPAIN – 5th Absolute
  • ARGENTINA – 3rd Absolute
  • CYPRUS – 3rd Absolute
  • ACRÓPOLIS – Abandonment
  • SAFARI – Abandonment
  • FINLAND – 6th Absolute
  • NEW ZEALAND – 4th Absolute
  • SANREMO – 4th Absolute
  • CORCEGA – Abandonment
  • AUSTRALIA – 8th Absolute
  • RAC-INGLATERRA – Abandonment

SIXTH IN THE WORLD RALLY DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP

SPORTS MERIT MEDAL

GRAND CROSS OF THE ROYAL ORDER OF SPORTING MERIT
2002 He renews his contract with the FORD team for one more year, racing the FOCUS WRC.

  • MONTECARLO – 3rd Absolute
  • SWEDEN – 3rd Absolute
  • CÓRCEGA – 6th Absolute
  • CATALUNYA COSTA BRAVA-SPAIN – Abandonment
  • CYPRUS – 11th Absolute
  • ARGENTINA – 1st Absolute
  • ACRÓPOLIS – 3rd Absolute
  • SAFARI – Abandonment
  • FINLAND – 4th Absolute
  • GERMANY – 8th Absolute
  • SANREMO – Abandonment
  • NEW ZEALAND – 4th Absolute
  • AUSTRALIA – 4th Absolute
  • RAC-INGLATERRA – 3rd Absolute

THIRD IN THE WORLD RALLY DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP
2003 World Rally Championship.
Official CITRÖEN Driver with the Xsara WRC

  • MONTECARLO – 3rd Absolute
  • SWEDEN – 9th Absolute
  • TURKEY – 1st Absolute
  • NEW ZEALAND – 12th Absolute
  • ARGENTINA – 2nd Absolute
  • ACRÓPOLIS – 2nd Absolute
  • CYPRUS – 5th Absolute
  • GERMANY – 6th Absolute
  • FINLAND – 4th Absolute
  • AUSTRALIA – 5th Absolute
  • SANREMO – 4th Absolute
  • CÓRCEGA – 2nd Absolute
  • CATALUNYA COSTA BRAVA-SPAIN – 7th Absolute
  • RAC-INGLATERRA – Abandonment

THIRD IN THE WORLD RALLY DRIVERS’ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
2004 World Rally Championship.
Official CITRÖEN Driver with the Xsara WRC

  • MONTECARLO – Abandonment
  • SWEDEN – 5th Absolute
  • MEXICO – 3rd Absolute
  • NEW ZEALAND – 6th Absolute
  • CYPRUS – 3rd Absolute
  • ACRÓPOLIS – 19th Absolute
  • TURKEY – 4th Absolute
  • ARGENTINA- 1st Absolute
  • FINLAND – 3rd Absolute
  • GERMANY – 3rd Absolute
  • JAPAN – 5th Absolute
  • ENGLAND- 4th Absolute
  • SARDINIA – 3rd Absolute
  • CÓRCEGA – 3rd Absolute
  • CATALUNYA COSTA BRAVA-SPAIN – 3rd Absolute

FOURTH IN THE WORLD RALLY DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP
2005 He participates in only two rounds of the World Rally Championship with the Citroen Xsara WRC.

  • TURKEY – 4th Absolute
  • GREECE – 3rd Absolute

TOTAL WINS 26
SECOND PLACES 36
THIRD PLACES 35
PODIUMS 97

Carlos Sainz signs with Volkswagen Motorsport to take part in the 2006 Dakar.

Participates in the Baja Portugal obtaining the 3rd position.
2006 Participates in the Lisbon-Dakar Rally, winning four stages with the Volkswagen Touareg, finishing in 11th position.

He participates in the Shalymar Rally with Juanjo Lacalle.

Rally Morocco. Abandonment in the 5th stage due to accident
2007 Participated in the Lisbon-Dakar Rally with the Volkswagen Touareg, winning five stages, finishing in 9th position.

1st Position in the Transiberico Rally (Portugal)
2nd position in the Rally Morocco
2nd Position in the UAE Desert Challenge Rally (Dubai)

WINNER OF THE T.T. WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP.

Winner of the Shalymar Rally with the Skoda Fabia WRC.
2008 He continues with the Volkswagen Motorsport team, with the Touareg.

1st Position in the Central European Rally (Romania-Hungary)

24 hours Nurburgring. Participate with a Volkswagen Sirocco

2nd in class

14th overall

2nd Position in the Pax Rally Portugal

The Dakar is suspended for safety reasons
2009 He continues with the Volkswagen Motorsport team, with the Touareg.

1st position in the Rallye Dos Sertoes in Brazil.

1st position in the Silk Road Rally, which is disputed between the countries of Turkmenistan, Russia and Kazakhstan.

Abandoned the Dakar Rally due to an accident with three stages to go when he was winning the rally by 28 minutes.
1990 He renews his contract with TOYOTA TEAM EUROPE and becomes the team’s first driver, keeping the same car.
Participations in the World Rally Championship:

  • MONTE CARLO – 2nd Absolute
  • PORTUGAL – Abandonment
  • SAFARI (Kenya) – 4th Absolute
  • TOUR DE CORSE (France) – 2nd Absolute
  • ACRÓPOLIS (Greece) – 1st Absolute
  • NEW ZEALAND – 1st Absolute
  • ARGENTINA – 2nd Absolute
  • 1000 LAGOS (Finland) – 1st Absolute
  • AUSTRALIA – 2nd Absolute
  • SAN REMO (Italy) – 3rd Absolute
  • After taking third place in the San Remo Rally (Italy), he was proclaimed WORLD RALLY RACING DRIVER CHAMPION.
  • LOMBARD RAC (England) – 1st Absolute

With his victory in New Zealand and his second place in Australia he is proclaimed:

  • ASIA-PACIFIC RALLY DRIVER CHAMPION
  • WORLD CHAMPION RALLY DRIVER
1991 He continues as first driver within the TOYOTA team under the orders of OVE ANDERSSON and with the same CELICA of 1990.
Participations in the World Rally Championship:

  • MONTE CARLO – 1st Absolute
  • PORTUGAL – 1st Absolute
  • SAFARI (Kenya) – Abandonment due to engine failure in the 5th stage while leading the stage.
  • TOUR DE CORSE (France) – 1st Absolute
  • ACRÓPOLIS (Greece) – 2nd Absolute
  • NEW ZEALAND – 1st Absolute
  • ARGENTINA – 1st Absolute
  • 1000 LAGOS (Finland) – 5th Absolute
  • AUSTRALIA – Abandonment
  • SAN REMO (Italy) – 3rd Absolute
  • CATALONIA (Spain) – Abandonment
  • LOMBARD RAC (England) – 3rd Absolute

RUNNER-UP IN THE WORLD RALLY DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP
1992 He faces another year within the TOYOTA TEAM EUROPE team with the new “CELICA TURBO 4WD CARLOS SAINZ SERIE LIMITADA”.

  • MONTE CARLO – 2nd Absolute
  • PORTUGAL – 3rd Absolute
  • SAFARI (Kenya) – 1st Absolute
  • TOUR DE CORSE – 4th Overall
  • ACRÓPOLIS (Greece) – Abandonment
  • NEW ZEALAND – 1st Absolute
  • ARGENTINA – 2nd Absolute
  • 1000 LAGOS (Finland) – 5th Absolute
  • AUSTRALIA – 3rd Absolute
  • CATALONIA (Spain) – 1st Absolute
  • RAC (England) – 1st Absolute

WORLD CHAMPION RALLY DRIVER
1993 Following the break-up of REPSOL (its sponsor) and TOYOTA at the end of last season, the Spanish oil company is now sponsoring the LANCIA JOLLY CLUB team for Carlos Sainz.

  • MONTE CARLO – 14 Absolute
  • PORTUGAL – Abandonment
  • SAFARI (Kenya) – Abandonment due to engine failure in the 5th stage while leading the stage.
  • TOUR DE CORSE (France) – 4th Absolute
  • ACRÓPOLIS (Greece) – 2nd Absolute
  • NEW ZEALAND – 4th Absolute
  • AUSTRALIA – Abandonment
  • SAN REMO (Italy) – 2nd. Disqualified
  • CATALONIA (Spain) – Abandonment
1994 Signs with PRODRIVE to compete in nine World Rally Championship races in the SUBARU IMPREZA 555 Group A.

  • MONTE CARLO – 3rd Absolute
  • PORTUGAL – 4th Absolute
  • TOUR DE CORSE (France) – 2nd Absolute
  • ACRÓPOLIS (Greece) – 1st Absolute
  • ARGENTINA – 2nd Absolute
  • NEW ZEALAND – Abandonment
  • 1000 LAGOS (Finland) – 3rd Absolute
  • SAN REMO (Italy) – 2nd Absolute
  • RAC ENGLAND – Abandonment

RUNNER-UP IN THE WORLD RALLY DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP
1995 He continues in the same team to participate in the eight races that make up the 1995 World Rally Championship.

  • MONTE CARLO – 1st Absolute
  • SWEDEN – Abandonment
  • PORTUGAL – 1st Absolute
  • TOUR DE CORSE – 4th Overall
  • He suffers a severe shoulder injury and has to undergo surgery, so he cannot participate in the New Zealand Rally.
  • AUSTRALIA – Abandonment
  • CATALONIA (Spain) – 1st Absolute
  • RAC INGLATERRA – 2nd Absolute

RUNNER-UP IN THE WORLD RALLY DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP
1996 He signs with TTE for three seasons but after being sanctioned by the FIA and not being able to race in the World Championship, he returns to FORD, the brand with which he was Spanish Champion in ’87 and ’88, signing a two-year contract with the official Ford Motosport team sponsored by Repsol. During this first season he will race an ESCORT COSWORTH Gr.A.

  • SWEDEN – 2nd Absolute
  • SAFARI – Abandonment
  • INDONESIA – 1st Absolute
  • ACRÓPOLIS – 3rd Absolute
  • ARGENTINA – 2nd Absolute
  • 1000 LAGOS – Abandonment
  • AUSTRALIA – 3rd Absolute
  • SAN REMO – 2nd Absolute
  • CATALONIA – Abandonment

THIRD IN THE WORLD RALLY DRIVERS’ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
1997 He CONTINUES to fulfill his contract with FORD, with the new “FORD ESCORT “WORLD RALLY CAR” and handing over the management of the Boreham team to Malcom Wilson.

  • MONTECARLO – 2nd Absolute
  • SWEDEN – 2nd Absolute
  • SAFARI – Abandonment
  • PORTUGAL – Abandonment
  • SPAIN – CATALONIA – 10th Absolute
  • TOUR DE CORSE – 2nd Absolute
  • ARGENTINA – Abandonment
  • ACRÓPOLIS – 1st Absolute
  • NEW ZEALAND – 2nd Absolute
  • 1000 LAGOS – Abandonment
  • INDONESIA – 1st Absolute
  • SAN REMO – 4th Absolute
  • AUSTRALIA – Abandonment
  • RAC INGLATERRA – 3rd Absolute

THIRD IN THE WORLD RALLY DRIVERS’ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
FIRST IN THE RACE OF CHAMPIONS
1998 SIGNS WITH TTE (TOYOTA TEAM EUROPE) for the next three seasons and continues with his personal sponsors Fortuna and Red Bull. He will race the COROLLA WRC, and the Spanish firm Movistar joins the Toyota-Castrol team as a second sponsor.

  • MONTECARLO – 1st Absolute
  • SWEDEN – 2nd Absolute
  • SAFARI – Abandonment
  • PORTUGAL – 2nd Absolute
  • SPAIN – CATALONIA – 7th Absolute
  • TOUR DE CORSE – 7th Overall
  • ARGENTINA – 2nd Absolute
  • ACRÓPOLIS – 4th Absolute
  • NEW ZEALAND – 1st Absolute
  • 1000 LAGOS – 2nd Absolute
  • SAN REMO – 4th Absolute
  • AUSTRALIA – 2nd Absolute
  • RAC ENGLAND – Abandonment

RUNNER-UP IN THE WORLD RALLY DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP
1999 He continues to fulfill his contract with TOYOTA TEAM EUROPE, the team to which he is linked until the year 2000 included. FORTUNA continues to be his personal sponsor, and this year CAMPOFRIO, a leader in the Spanish food sector, has also joined him.

  • MONTECARLO – Abandonment
  • SWEDEN – 2nd Absolute
  • SAFARI – 3rd Absolute
  • PORTUGAL – 2nd Absolute
  • SPAIN – Abandonment
  • CÓRCEGA – 3rd Absolute
  • ARGENTINA – 5th Absolute
  • GREECE – 2nd Absolute
  • N. ZEALAND – 6th Absolute
  • FINLAND – 3rd Absolute
  • CHINA – 3rd Absolute
  • SAN REMO – Abandonment
  • AUSTRALIA – 2nd Absolute
  • RAC- ENGLAND – Abandonment

FIFTH IN THE WORLD RALLY DRIVER’S CHAMPIONSHIP
1980 He competed in his first rally, the Shalymar (Madrid) with an R-5TS Gr.1
1981 WINNER First National Championship Seat Panda Rallye.
SUBCAMPEON of the Renault Initiation Cup (R5-TS) in circuits as official driver of the Renault Network of Madrid and Province.
He participates in four Spanish Championship Rallies with the official Seat Panda Gr.2.
1982 Winner of the Renault 5 Cup
1983 WINNER National Renault Cup (R5-TURBO) in circuits.
CHAMPION of the Central Zone of Rally Drivers (Renault R5- Turbo 200 C.V. Gr.4).
WINNER of the 1st Challenge Rally Center. Official driver of the Renault Network of Madrid and Province, both in circuits and rallies.
1984 CHAMPION of the Central Zone of Rally Drivers (Renault R5-Turbo 200 C.V. Gr.B). Official driver of the Renault Network of Madrid and Province.
1985 SUBCAMPEÓN de España de Pilotos de Rallyes (Renault R5 Tour de Corse Gr.B.). Official Renault Spain driver.
1986 SUBCAMPEÓN de España de Pilotos de Rallyes (Renault R5 Maxi Turbo Gr.B.). Official Renault Spain driver.
1987 RALLY DRIVERS CHAMPION OF SPAIN
(Ford Sierra Cosworth Gr.A). Participates for the first time in World Rally Championship events:

  • PORTUGAL – Abandonment
  • CORCEGA – 7th Absolute
  • RAC (England) – 8th Absolute
  • Official Ford Spain Pilot
1988 SPANISH RALLY DRIVER CHAMPION (Ford Sierra Cosworth Gr.A.).
Participations in the World Rally Championship:

  • PORTUGAL – Abandonment
  • CORCEGA – 5th Absolute
  • 1000 LAGOS (Finland) – 6th Absolute
  • SAN REMO (Italy) – 5th Absolute
  • RAC (England) – 7th Absolute
  • Official Ford Spain Pilot

13TH IN THE WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP
1989 Signs with TOYOTA TEAM EUROPE to compete in the World Rally Championship with the CELICA FOUR Gr.A.
Participations in the World Rally Championship:

  • MONTE CARLO – Abandonment
  • PORTUGAL – Abandonment
  • CORCEGA – Abandonment
  • ACRÓPOLIS (Greece) – Abandonment
  • 1000 LAGOS (Finland) – 3rd Absolute
  • SAN REMO (Italy) – 3rd Absolute
  • RAC (England) – 2nd Absolute

EIGHTH IN THE WORLD RALLY DRIVERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP