Under your grilling Carlos Sainz reveals his favourite burger
Sure, you know about his legendary dad. But how about his passion for pork-and-beef burgers – without tomatoes? Discover all this and more as Carlos Sainz faces your interrogation
Where are all these people coming from? Renault’s hospitality has been flat-out through lunchtime, and as one of the crew guides
F1 Racing to our appointed table, her face contorts into a rictus of disapproval as she clocks the stains left on the tablecloth by previous guests. Evidence of their offending splatter is promptly whisked away, thrust into a bag, and replaced with a spotlessly clean equivalent.
Such is the world of F1 testing in the Liberty era. Pre-season at Barcelona, in the spring sunshine, the paddock is bustling with paying guests on hospitality tickets. It’s a microcosm of a grand prix weekend, and with more track time available and consequently less pressure, teams can offer a more accessible guest experience. Hence the hubbub in the Renault motorhome – in a corner Sauber boss Frédéric Vasseur is chewing the fat with his ex-boss, Cyril Abiteboul – and the throng of fans through which our interview subject is currently picking his way.
Carlos Sainz bursts through the door, slightly flushed and apologetic: “Sorry – I had to run here!” Unusually for a ‘You Ask The Questions’, he has an entourage: as well as the PR minder, our audience includes Sainz’s physio, Rupert Manwaring, and his manager, Carlos Oñoro, who’s having a sneak preview of your questions. “They’re all about food, mate,” he cackles. “They’ve got your number…”
“Ah, I’ve done this before,” says Carlos, surveying with a grin the pile of cards before him. “I know what to do…” During the winter break you posted on Instagram asking fans to vote on whether it was okay for a Saturday ‘cheat day’ burger. We all know you love a good burger, but what is your all-time favourite? Fern Lock, UK That’s a good question. My favourite burger is in London, but I can never choose between Honest Burgers and Patty & Bun. It’s always a struggle trying to decide which one to go to when I’m in London. Once when I was in Honest Burgers I had a burger that had pulled pork in it as well as beef and it was absolutely incredible.
F1 Racing: You had pork and beef in the same burger?
CS: Yeah. And it was – he tasted it! [He laughs and gestures at his manager, who is shaking his head.]
Carlos Oñoro: You can’t imagine it.
F1R: Where do you stand on the important issue of having tomatoes in burgers?
CS: I don’t like tomatoes in burgers. Salad, caramelised onions – I like them a lot. Some lettuce. Maybe you can have bacon, and cheese of course. But tomato? I’m not a big fan. They just make it wet.
Has your dad ever taken you on a rally stage at speed? Bruce Davis, USA
Yes, the first time I was very young. It was in Portugal, and I was so small that I couldn’t see the road. Another time was in a Volkswagen Dakar car – it was incredible. We go rally driving at home in a Mitsubishi, and I enjoy it. I have a lot of respect for what he does. When he’s co-driving me, he’s saying, “Push more there! Push more here!” But I’m pushing as much as I can!
Have you ever driven any of your father’s rally cars? Waldemar Twarog, Poland
No. I’ve driven one of his Toyota Celicas but not properly – I drove around the streets but I haven’t really tested it. It’s something I look forward to one day. But it’s pretty difficult for it to happen. Last week he was testing the Peugeot in Spain, the one he won the Dakar with, but I had an event so I couldn’t go.
Which is your favourite restaurant in Madrid? Would you be open to having a pincho de tortilla with me? I’ll pay! Luca Romagnoli, Italy
Don’t worry – if you come to Madrid, you will be my guest. My favourite restaurant in Madrid? Hmm. There are so many, and obviously I’m not counting the hamburger ones [he laughs, but his manager and physio laugh louder]. There’s one called 99 Sushi Bar – that’s really good. But for more typical Spanish food, I would maybe go for La Española or something like that. You can have a good tortilla, patatas, good meat, this kind of stuff.
Where do you see your future – at Renault or at Red Bull? Tom Bryan, UK
Many people want to know what will happen with me next year but I really owe Renault all my attention, all my motivation, because they invested in having me this year and I owe them everything. So I’m not thinking about 2019 until the time comes. I’m being part of Renault as if I’m going to be here for many years – and then whatever happens, happens. That’s my approach.
What is your biggest fear and why? Laca Puran, Mauritius
My biggest fear? [Long pause] Good question. I’m trying to come up with one. Maybe snakes. Spiders – I don’t mind them. Snakes I’m a bit more worried about. When I’m in the countryside in the summer in Spain, there are always little snakes around. What else?
Playing football against me?
Ha! Never.
CO: CS: What's the single biggest thing that makes you proud to be Carlos Sainz’s son? Tony Peacock, UK
Many things. He was the first [non-scandinavian] to win in the 1000 Lakes. He was the first World Rally Champion in Spain. He was the first Spanish driver to win Dakar – and he was the first 55-year old to win Dakar. I’m a very proud son.
“DAD WAS THE FIRST WORLD RALLY CHAMPION IN SPAIN. HE WAS THE FIRST SPANISH DRIVER TO WIN DAKAR – AND HE WAS THE FIRST 55-YEAROLD TO WIN DAKAR. I’M A VERY PROUD SON
“THE AMOUNT OF TRAVELLING CAN BE HARD. IT’S PAINFUL WHEN YOU HAVE TO GET ON AN AIRPLANE ON 20 DECEMBER TO GO TO AN EVENT OR TO A PHOTOSHOOT INSTEAD OF BEING WITH YOUR FAMILY
If you could race at any historic Formula 1 track that formerly held the Spanish Grand Prix, which one and why? Brian Kenney, USA
I’d like to race in Madrid, at Jarama. It’s my home circuit – I haven’t raced there but I did some laps in a Formula 3 car back when I was in F3. And it’s my home city, so if there could be a grand prix in Madrid, I would be extremely proud of that. So, Liberty, I hope you are reading this.
What should F1 engines be like in the future? David Brown, UK
Louder and also cheaper. If there’s one thing with these engines nowadays it’s how much they cost. But I wouldn’t want to go back too many years in technology. I liked the idea of KERS, where the driver had a button to give the possibility of overtaking. Nowadays it’s all in the pedal.
What makes you stand out from all the other drivers out there? Han Duiven, Netherlands
Anything I say will sound cocky [his manager and physio burst into laughter]. I don’t want to say. I’ll keep it for myself [he rolls his eyes as his entourage giggles].
Do you think there is an aerodynamic advantage to being clean-shaven? Paddy Bates, UK
[Rubs his stubble ruminatively, accompanied by more laughter.] There might be a bit of a weight advantage. Maybe one gram from the beard! It depends. I always shave every five to six days to give the weight up.
Who do you think would be fastest over a forest rally stage – you or Robert Kubica? Phil Darby, UK
In this exact moment, I think Robert Kubica. But with more training and some proper testing, some proper rallying, I could be very good. That is what my father has told me. And again, this might sound cocky, but my father has said to me, “You have the talent to be good in rallying and if you could prepare a good stage, do a year of testing, you could go well.” He’s been co-driving me. He knows what I’m capable of.
What is the hardest aspect of being a Formula 1 driver? Maria Lloret, Spain
I wouldn’t say there’s anything that is particularly hard for me. Maybe the amount of travelling, especially when you travel for events more than races. It’s a bit more painful when you have to get on an airplane on 20 December to go to an event or to a photoshoot instead of being with your family at the time when you want to be with them in December. But I tend to always take it positively and enjoy it out there – it’s part of the job. You just need to get on with it.
F1R: And you can’t eat as many burgers as you’d like…
CS: [Laughs] Definitely not, but this is something I have under control. I have my cheat day each week. I know when to do them and my weight has been good. I’ve had my burgers but it’s also been pretty good.