The figures, rather than vertigo, are a pure delight: 196 rallies, 26 victories, 97 podiums and 757 scratches. Not to mention his 18 dakar rallies, with 4 victories, 4 podiums and 42 stage wins. with a winning, hard-working and non-conformist spirit, Carlos Sainz Cenamor (Madrid, 1962), Winner of the 2020 Princess of Asturias Award for sport, is preparing to take part in the next round of the arabian event with the ford performance team. an insatiable, methodical and persevering competitor, he wants to win the dakar with a fifth different marque because he knows no limits. He alternates between speed and family. he gives his wife the key to his success and smiles when he shares with his son the sound of the engine as a way of life.

How did you experience your first victory?

Victory is the goal of every sportperson. Besides the logical joy, the first one usually brings the feeling of being working in the right direction and, at least in my case, the desire to keep improving and working to achieve more victories.

Two-time Spanish Rally Champion in 1987 and 1988, and two-time World Rally Champion in 1990 and 1992 with Toyota. In this world rally competition, you have managed to finish runner-up four other times and third on five occasions. Also winner of four Dakar Rallies... Which title was the most memorable?

It is not easy to choose one victory over the others. They all have a fascinating story behind them and their own circumstances, but if I had to choose just one, it would be the first World Championship. It was undoubtedly very special.

As an experienced Dakar driver, what do you need to finish such an extreme race?

Indeed, it is a very demanding event that requires a lot of physical preparation. The inside of the car is hot, and you constantly experience really intense forces and mpacts. You have to drive with your co-driver’s indications, but you have not previously traversed the place where you are competing and you may encounter other slower vehicles leaving a trail of dust, which makes it very difficult to see. I especially work on my physical preparation, probably even more now. Being able to withstand the physical demands of the race also allows you to work and think better throughout the event. It makes it easier to avoid mistakes that can be very costly on the Dakar. In short, you need to be prudent.

The transition from the World Rally to the Dakar is significant. What motivated you to make this change and how was the adaptation process?

In 2005 I decided it was time to end my career in the World Rally Championship. At that time, my friend Colin McRae had already participated in the Dakar and ncouraged me to give it a try. I did some tests with the VW Touareg and I felt comfortable in the car, even though it was very different from a WRC in terms of weight and size. Then I had the opportunity to join Volkswagen with the means and the ambition and I took the decision to compete in my first Dakar. Adapting was not a problem, but learning everything that rallying involves meant listening to those who have been doing the Dakar for years, adapting this knowledge and my style and, above all, practising in the dunes and driving in the desert.

You already have an outstanding track record, what drives you to make new achievements?

The passion for competition. I love my profession and I feel like I am still competitive. I am very lucky to dedicate myself to what I like the most, that is why I am still here.

Is the Ford Performance project, in which you will participate as a driver in the next Dakar, an extra motivation?

I am happy to race with Ford. It is the marque with which I made my debut in the World Rally Championship and won the Spanish Championship in the eighties, and I have been with them at other times in my career. It’s a new project, there is a lot to work on and that has always been precisely one of my motivations. Now, my goal is to try winning the Dakar for a fifth time with a different marque.

Have you already tried the Ford Raptor? Will you choose a hybrid vehicle like you did in the 2024 edition?

Yes, I have had the chance to try it and I have a good feeling about it so far, even though it is very different from the last year car. Of course, we Will have to work as much as we can, because the level of competition is very high. There is a mix of new cars like ours and others that have been under development for many years. The Ford is not a hybrid car, although today’s Dakar engines have nothing to do with those of decades ago in terms of efficiency and, of course, emissions. A lot of progress has been made, as we use renewable fuel.

You are the owner of the Acciona Sainz Xe Team and promoter of the Extreme E Championship, where you also compete. Do you see a future for electric car competitions?

The Extreme E is very interesting because it is a pioneering project. Having a competition with fully electric cars, with men and women sharing the Wheel of each car 50% of the race time, with a programme of activities designed to draw attention to the environmental problems of the places where we race, and with a carbon neutral footprint is not usual at all in motor competition. The teams include Formula 1 World Champions structures, major car manufacturers, and the ACCIONA | SAINZ XE Team. Last year, the team finished runner-up, and this season they are fighting again for the title. On the future of electric car competitions, categories such as Extreme E or Formula E are proving that they are viable and exciting. Technologies evolve and racings remain. For example, we won the Dakar 2024 with a hybrid car whose power was provided exclusively by the electric motors, with the combustión engine acting as a generator.

What are the human lessons of elite competition?

I have been fortunate enough to find some very talented competitors over many years and to work with some of the best professionals at the technical level. All this while travelling around the world with the goals of competing and winning. This is why the amount of experience, both in and out of the car, and the lessons learned from people and situations are enormous.

What do you think about your son’s arrival in Formula 1?

Of my three sons, Carlos also chose motor sports as a way of life, although he opted for circuits rather than rallies. He had to go through the ladder of promotion competitions, which is tough and selective, until good teams took a chance on him. He finally got the chance to make it to Formula 1. For ten seasons now, he has been one of only twenty drivers from around the world in that list. He has sacrificed a lot for his goals and has managed to win some Grand Prix. I have no doubt that his goal is to continue fighting for the World Championship. As you can imagine, I am happy for him. Maybe sharing a profession allows us to understand each other well sometimes, but beyond that we have an ordinary father-son relationship.

As a family man, how do you balance your family life with your career?

I have always tried to be close to my family, taking advantage of the moments that my profession has allowed me. However, spending 200 days or more a year away from home is hard to maintain a family life. The key to this has always been my wife, who has been a wonderful mother to our children. She understands my commitment to the competition and makes it as easy as possible for me to participate in important family events, sometimes even without being physically there.

Do you know the Paradores Network? Which one is your favourite?

Yes, of course I know it. I always try to find a Parador to stay when I travel in Spain. The service is perfect, and you know your choice will always be the right one.