Carlos Sainz sends heartfelt message to dad Carlos Sainz Sr ahead of Dakar Rally

Carlos Sainz has shared a heartwarming post with a message to his father, Carlos Sainz Sr, ahead of the 2026 Dakar Rally.

Sainz Sr is preparing for his 19th Dakar Rally run from 3 to 17 January 2026. Over the years in the event, the 63-year-old driver has accumulated four wins, six podiums and 42 stage wins. 

"I have watched you take on this challenge for years," the Williams Formula 1 driver wrote as he reflected on having the opportunity to sit in the co-driver's seat and then driver's seat beside his father in the Ford Raptor T1+ in the summer of 2025.

"I experienced a small taste of it last summer and my admiration towards you and what you do keeps increasing. Good luck at the Dakar, Dad. Proud of you for the way you keep pushing and raising the bar! Vamos!"

Sainz Sr will be joined by his co-driver Lucas Cruz in the Ford Raptor T1+. Cruz has partnered with the Spanish driver in all four of his Dakar Rally wins, the earliest of which marked the first time Spaniards had won the title.

"We're more confident than last year because we've covered more kilometres and know the car a little better," Sainz Sr told Dakar.com ahead of the race.

"In a race where reliability is key, all this means you can approach the Dakar with a little more confidence and optimism. Now that we all have the same weight, roughly the same power, and the same tyres, the difference will be the car that doesn't encounter mechanical issues and best optimises the suspension.

Carlos Sainz Sr

Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

"We are facing an edition where more than 15 vehicles can fight for victory. When there is such a strong field of fast drivers from different generations and so many brands, it makes it more interesting. The competition will be fierce and a lot of fun for spectators. It doesn't change our approach much, since the pace will be fast from the start, and it's important not to have too many bad days.

"With this new generation of drivers, the number of potential winners has increased. We saw it in the Morocco Rally. [Sébastien] Loeb, [Nasser] Al Attiyah will always be there, along with Nani [Roma] and me. Still, there will also be Mattias [Ekström] and Mitch [Guthrie], Lucas Moraes —world champion—, Seth Quintero, Joao Ferreira, Henk Lategan... a series of drivers who have first-rate cars and are very fast, and I'm sure I'm leaving some out. But our goal is clear: when you've won four times, you can only have one thing in mind —to win it again."