Spanish · Madrid, Spain · Born 12 April 1962Carlos Sainz Sr., nicknamed 'El Matador', is a Spanish rally legend who won two World Rally Championship titles and four Dakar Rallies, and is the father of Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz Jr.
Spanning two World Rally Championship titles in 1990 and 1992 through to a Dakar Rally victory at the age of 61 in 2024 — his fourth in the event — Carlos Sainz Sr.'s four-decade career stands as an almost unparalleled combination of speed and longevity in motorsport. He rose through Spanish rallying, winning the national championship in 1987 and 1988 with a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth, before making his full World Rally Championship debut that year. Sainz joined Toyota in 1990 and won his first World Rally Championship title that year, backing it up with a second title in 1992. Partnered for most of his career by co-driver Luis Moya, he became one of the most consistent competitors of his generation, finishing runner-up in the championship four further times across an 18-year WRC career with Toyota, Lancia, Subaru, Ford, and Citroën, and retiring in 2005 with a then-record 26 rally wins. Sainz reinvented himself after leaving the WRC, moving into cross-country rally raid competition and becoming one of the most successful Dakar Rally drivers in history, winning the gruelling event in 2010, 2018, 2020, and 2024 — the last at age 61, his fourth Dakar title spanning multiple decades and vehicle manufacturers. He is one of only three drivers to have won both the World Rally Championship and the Dakar Rally. His son, Carlos Sainz Jr., followed him into motorsport and became a Formula 1 Grand Prix winner.
Two World Rally Championship titles and four Dakar Rally victories across a four-decade career
How They Played
Consistent, technically precise driver renowned for adaptability across sprint rallying and gruelling cross-country raid competition
Lasting Impact
One of Spain's greatest motorsport figures and one of only three drivers to win both the WRC and Dakar Rally, now with his son Carlos Sainz Jr. carrying on the family's motorsport legacy in Formula 1
Career Honours
- 2x World Rally Champion (1990, 1992)
- 4x Dakar Rally winner (2010, 2018, 2020, 2024)
- 26 WRC rally wins
- One of only three drivers to win both the WRC and Dakar Rally
| Constructor | Season(s) | Races |
|---|---|---|
| Ford | 1987–1989 | — |
| Toyota | 1990–1992 | — |
| Lancia | 1992–1993 | — |
| Ford | 1994–1995 | — |
| Subaru | 1995–1996 | — |
| Ford | 1997–1998 | — |
| Toyota | 1999 | — |
| Citroën | 2000–2005 | — |
| Career Total | — | 0 |
Spanish Athletes