Carlos Sainz
Sainz at Rally de Portugal 1995
© WRC
01
Key Facts & Achievements
Name
Carlos Sainz
Nationality
Spanish
Date of Birth
12.04.1962
WRC Titles
2 (1990-1992)
WRC Wins
26
WRC Podiums
97
WRC Starts
196
WRC Stage Wins
757
Last WRC Event
Acropolis Rally Greece 2005
02
Career Summary
Spanish legend Carlos Sainz, known as "El Matador," claimed two World Rally Championships with Toyota in 1990 and 1992. With 26 WRC victories, Sainz held the record for most wins when he stepped back from full-time rallying.
After progressing from karting and briefly considering careers in football and squash, Sainz turned to rallying in the 1980s. His first WRC victory came at the 1990 Acropolis Rally, launching a championship-winning season in which he retired just once across 11 events. The following year, he narrowly missed out on the title by a single point to Juha Kankkunen, despite both drivers securing five wins.
Sainz reclaimed the crown in 1992 with the Toyota Celica ST185, clinching the championship with victory at Rally GB. A move to Subaru in 1995 saw him finish runner-up to team-mate Colin McRae in a season marked by controversial team orders at Rally Catalunya.
Later career stints with Ford and Citroën brought three manufacturers’ titles, while his final WRC victory came at the 2004 Rally Argentina.
Since retiring from the WRC, Sainz has triumphed at the Dakar Rally four times, most recently in 2024.
