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Carlos Sainz boldly predicted that six different drivers would win a Grand Prix in the 2021 season of F1, in a video by the official F1 YouTube channel from March this year. The Spaniard was correct in his predictions as Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Daniel Ricciardo, Esteban Ocon, Valtteri Bottas, and Sergio Perez all won at least one race this year.
In what seems like a case of tremendous foresight, the Ferrari driver had a hunch that six different drivers would win a race in the 2021 season of the sport, as revealed in a social media video by the official F1 YouTube channel. The Spaniard acknowledged it too, saying:
“That's a pretty bold prediction. I felt like I was reading the future.”
While Sainz didn't win a single race this season, he has appeared on the podium four times over the past year for his team Ferrari, with the most recent being in the championship finale in Abu Dhabi. He spoke about the chaotic safety car protocol, which nearly lost him his fourth podium of the year:
“It was certainly a very strange situation for me because I was battling for a podium with Valtteri and some Alpha Tauri's behind with medium tires while I was on a very used hard. At the beginning, I was told that they were not going to be allowed to un-lap themselves, the people in front of me. And then it was decided to un-lap themselves. And some people un-lapped themselves, but there were still an Aston Martin and the McLaren of Ricciardo between the two leaders and myself.”
Sainz had an incredibly successful 2021 season despite scoring only four podiums, as together with Charles Leclerc, the duo scored 17 double-points finishes in the season, propelling their team to P3 in the constructors' standings.
Carlos Sainz son of WRC legend Carlos Sainz Sr.
Sainz's father, Carlos Sainz Sr., is a legend in the sport of rallying, having won two world drivers' championships for Toyota in 1990 and 1992. The Spanish rally driver is also known to have starred alongside legendary driver Colin McRae for the then-upcoming Subaru team. Sainz Sr. was monumental in the development of the Subaru Impreza, which is now considered a rally classic and is revered by car enthusiasts around the world.
Due to his father's rich racing heritage, Carlos Sainz Jr. was introduced to the world of speed at a very young age. In an interview with Red Bull, Sainz Jr. highlighted his childhood love for cars, admitting he fell in love with F1 in 2005. He said:
“I’ve had a car at home or near my house since I was two – an electric car first doing donuts and going sideways around the back yard. And I started go-karting indoor when I was five years old. As everything developed, suddenly my career started to go more towards karting. Then in 2005, I went to the Spanish Grand Prix and that's where I fell in love with Formula 1 properly. Ever since, my target was to become a Formula 1 driver.”
Carlos Sainz Jr. will return alongside Charles Leclerc for the 2022 F1 season, where the duo will try and fight for top place in the sport.
