Carlos Sainz Cenamor, a Spanish rally driver, was born on April 12, 1962. He is a two-time World Rally Championship drivers' title winner, having secured the championship with Toyota in 1990 and 1992. Throughout his illustrious career, Sainz has finished runner-up an impressive four times.
In addition to his WRC achievements, Sainz has contributed to the success of various constructors, including Subaru in 1995, Toyota in 1999, and Citroën in 2003, 2004, and 2005. In the 2018 season, he was an official driver for the Team Peugeot Total.
Sainz received the prestigious Princess of Asturias Sports Award in 2020. Moreover, he founded the Acciona | Sainz XE Team to compete in Extreme E, partnering with Laia Sanz in the first two seasons.
Known by his nickname El Matador, Sainz held the WRC record for most career starts until Finnish co-driver Miikka Anttila broke the record. He was also the first non-Nordic driver to win the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland. Sainz has a remarkable record at the Swedish Rally, finishing second four times and third twice.
Alongside his WRC successes, Sainz has won the Dakar Rally (2010, 2018, 2020, and 2024),the Race of Champions (1997),and the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (1990). He has had the privilege of working alongside renowned co-drivers Antonio Boto, Luis Moya, Marc Martí, and Lucas Cruz.
