Sainz driven by 'hunter, prey' words of advice
Sainz driven by 'hunter, prey' words of advice
Carlos Sainz has revealed to still being driven by the words of his father when he was a child that he has carried with him to this day.
Ferrari driver Sainz claims that as a youngster during his formative karting days his quiet character resulted in him losing out in races, leading to Carlos Sainz Sr taking him to one side and telling him a few home truths.
“I used to be very shy, and I used to be friends with a lot of people, all the racing drivers,” Sainz told The New York Times.
“When I would then arrive at a go-kart track, I would get pushed around, bumped out of a race by people I thought would never do that to me because we got on well out of the car.
“My dad told me, ‘Look, it’s not only in life but also in any sport that you do, you either bite or you get bitten.
"You need to be the one pushing, to be the hard one because if you’re not, you’re going to be the prey. That advice changed my approach and my career.
“Once I put the helmet on, I try to be the animal hunting, not the hunted animal."
The 28-year-old Spanish driver has confirmed he barely saw his father early on due to his exploits in the world of rallying in which he became a two-time champion.
Sainz, though, is adamant there is something in his genes that led to him becoming a racing star in his own right.
“My dad was a two-time champion in the golden era of rally, when everyone was following rally like crazy,” Sainz said. “In Europe, it was huge.
“But it meant I didn’t see him a lot because he was very busy. There were years when he was away from home for between 250 to 300 days a year, and I grew up without seeing him much.
"When I decided to go into racing myself, I understood that it came with some extra pressure, some extra attention because now everyone wanted to see how the son of Carlos Sainz was doing.
"In the beginning, it was difficult because as an 11-year-old kid, you don't understand why you deserve to have more attention than the others You get used to it, I guess.
"As for the racing, my bet is there must be something genetic in it. There is a video of me when I was two-and-a-half years old in a battery car, and I was doing 360s and Scandinavian flicks where you do a perfect sideways corner.
“No way my father taught me that, but when I look back on those videos I feel there was something inside my body that knew how to drive, even at two-and-a-half years old.
"I was born to drive, you can see it in the video.”
Related news

Sainz explains grounding experience far removed from F1 bubble

Sainz highlights Verstappen difference in "incredible season"
Sainz reveals sporting idol he would be nervous meeting
Sainz reveals Ferrari rollercoaster "upsetting"
Most read

Helmet cams become mandatory for all 20 drivers after F1 deal struck

F1 LIVE - Williams reserve driver departs

Alonso worst team-mate as Horner is 'waste of time' - GPFans F1 Recap

Verstappen fires Ricciardo warning as Red Bull sense Mercedes problems - GPFans F1 Recap

Ricciardo warned off by Verstappen after Red Bull return
F1 Standings

Races
-
Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2023
-
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2023
-
Grand Prix of Australia 2023
-
Grand Prix of China 2023
-
Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2023
-
Miami Grand Prix 2023
-
Pirelli Gran Premio Del Made In Italy E Dell'emilia Romagna 2023
-
Grand Prix of Monaco 2023
-
Grand Prix of Spain 2023
-
Grand Prix of Canada 2023
-
Grand Prix of Austria 2023
-
Grand Prix of Great Britain 2023
-
Grand Prix of Hungary 2023
-
Grand Prix of Belgium 2023
-
Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2023
-
Grand Prix of Italy 2023
-
Grand Prix of Singapore 2023
-
Grand Prix of Japan 2023
-
Qatar Grand Prix 2023
-
Grand Prix of the United States 2023
-
Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2023
-
Grand Prix of Brazil 2023
-
Las Vegas Grand Prix 2023
-
Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2023
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
With Formula One under the new ownership of Liberty Media, how the sport is being covered is evolving, and GPFans will look to be at the heart of this progression into new media, as one of the fastest-growing sites covering the king of motorsports.
Follow us on your favorite social media channel
Corporate & Media

7007 CD, Doetinchem, Netherlands
+31645516860