F1 star Carlos Sainz’s dad, 61, rescued by team-mate after FLIPPING car during brutal Dakar Rally race
CARLOS SAINZ SNR has been left stranded in the desert after flipping his car during the Dakar Rally.
The highly experienced rally driver – dad of Formula One star Carlos Sainz – crashed during Stage 2 of the epic race on Sunday.
Sainz Snr was racing through dunes in Saudi Arabia when he lost control of his Ford M-Sport Raptor.
The 62-year-old has previously won two World Rally Championships and four Dakar Rally titles.
Terrifying footage showed the aftermath of the flip, which left heavy damage to the high-tech Ford.
The rear half of the vehicle was seen strewn across the dunes following a heavy impact.
Fortunately, both Sainz Snr and his co-driver Lucas Cruz emerged from the wreckage unharmed.
The pair were left stranded following the remote crash, which occurred 327km into the near-1000km Stage 2.
He was forced to wait in blistering heat for team-mate Mitch Guthrie to arrive and offer assistance.
The wait cost Sainz Snr a total of 23 minutes, leaving him 20th in the Ultimate car category.
BEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERS
Sainz Snr became the oldest winner of the Dakar Rally last year.
Driving for Audi, he won his fourth title after navigating the near-8,000km drive at the age of 61.
Following his epic win, Sainz Snr said: “To be here with my age and to stay at the level, you need to work a lot.
“It’s not coming just like that. It shows that when you work hard, normally it pays off.”
But he’s also had his fair share of scares, including being airlifted to hospital after a terrifying crash in 2023.
Hoping to live up to his dad’s legacy, F1 star Sainz Jr enjoyed a strong season in 2024 for Ferrari.
The 30-year-old finished 5th in the Drivers Championship, winning the most races in an F1 season since joining the ranks in 2015.
Sainz will join up with Williams next year after Ferrari replaced him with legendary Brit driver Lewis Hamilton.
Last summer, the team announced the Spaniard had signed a two-year deal with an option to extend.