Carlos Sainz swaps Ferrari supercars for custom Fiat Topolino in Monaco

Williams Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz has been spotted around the streets of Monte Carlo in a customised Fiat Topolino beach car.

The Spanish driver, whose garage includes Ferraris such as an 812 Competizione and a Daytona SP3, was seen using the electric quadricycle for his urban commute around the principality. 

The Topolino is a doorless, two-seat electric vehicle capped at a top speed of 28mph.

The footage shared on social media of the 31-year-old and his partner, Scottish model Rebecca Donaldson, showed a number of customisations that had been made, including a tartan roof and side ropes to complement the hot red bodywork. The tartan design continues on the interior and the headrests are embroidered with the couple's initials.

"Love the tartan top... Love this nod to Rebecca Donaldson," one fan commented on Instagram, while another added: "The seats being embroidered with their initials."

Further comments included: "It's so cute and convenient- so why not!" and "It is the best car in Monaco."

Other past and present cars in Sainz's collection include a VW Golf GTI Mk6, a Renault Megane RS Mk3, a McLaren 720S, a Ferrari 812 Competizione, a Ferrari Daytona SP3, a Ferrari Purosangue and a Ferrari SF90 XX Spider.

Sainz revealed in an interview for Adam Hay-Nicholls's My Life in Cars that he still owns his first road car, the Golf GTI.

"But my first road car was a Golf GTI that my parents gifted me for my 18th birthday. I still have it. It remains my car when I’m in Madrid," he said.

"It’s one of the best cars I’ve ever driven, because the quality of the engineering is really high, it’s got a massive boot but fits in small parking spaces, and it’s more than fast enough. The more I drive it, the more I love it, and I’ll never sell it. Mine’s dark grey with dark red seats, which I felt gave it a bit of an edge when I was 18."