'Carlos Sainz really fought to be where he is now'

During the 2019 season, Carlos Sainz has achieved some impressive results with McLaren, including a delayed podium finish at the Brazilian Grand Prix. Nevertheless, the Spaniard was, according to his own words, far too little to see on television during races. This will change in 2021, when he finally gets to ride for a top team.

Sainz clearly inherited the talent from his father, Carlos Sainz Senior, but it's not always easy to have a successful father. "I think Carlos is clearly very happy and I am happy for his father. I think it's hard for a driver to be the son of an icon. In the end you always have to live up to your father's expectations and people will keep saying that it's because of your last name," Carmen Jordá said to Ricardo Tormo Circuit's Instagram channel.

"That's what you're always doing as a driver and you have to keep proving yourself. I don't think that's easy. Not even for Carlos Sainz Sr., because I know they both fought to be where they are now."

Robbing a bank to get into F1

According to Jordá, Sainz Sr. even thought that his son would miss Formula 1 completely, despite the negotiations going on at the time with Toro Rosso. "Carlos told me that he didn't know what to do. 'If I don't rob a bank I don't know if my son will race in Formula 1'. We all know what the sport is, the sponsors and everything behind it."

"But in the end Carlos got the chance at Toro Rosso and showed what a hardworking and dedicated driver he is. In the end, when you combine talent with work, you get great results," Jordá concludes.