30 replies to this topic

[mastropiero]

It´s been confirmed in the spanish media: Carlos Sainz will not carry on rallying after the present season is over. Apparently the changes that the WRC has undergone for the last two years have had a major role in his decision, together with his desire to spend more time with his familly.


He´s been rallying in WRC since 1987 when he took part in the Rally of Portugal, driving a Ford Sierra Cosworth.



An example of true determination and dedication to this sport, gentleman on and off the track. Carlos, you will be sorely missed.

Thank you for countless moments of emotion, be it joy or sadness.

Enjoy your life from now on, Matador. You truly deserve it.

[Taxi]

he's great! he still has the record of wins right? long live El Matador!

[mastropiero]

Yes he has it

[Ice T]

Carlos is a legend, he will be sorely missed.

Gracias por las memorias, Carlos.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Ice T
Carlos is a legend, he will be sorely missed.

Gracias por las memorias, Carlos.

What he said!! Man, can Carlos hold his head high - great career and a good fella to boot!

[sennadog93]

Sad but inevitable. The sport will be poorer without his presence but I wish him well in his retirement.

[Ayrton-No.1]

So, that is a bad news then :

Carlos was the only reason I have watched the World rallying...

Thank you El Matador! You are the Greatest!

[daishi255]

Carlos is a great driver - a record 26 wins, 2 titles in 1990 & 92, almost won again in 1991/3 when his car broke down on last stage (cant remember which year) and 3rd last year and looking good for 3rd or 4th, or maybe even 2nd this year at age 42. Great personality and skill - he will be sorely missed.

You should see his farewell speach though - he doesnt half go on does he? But he's entitled to it after all these years. It's on the official wrc site and Carlos' personal site

full story on wrc.com

[mastropiero]

It was in 1998 when he lost the title to Tommi on the last stage. Tommi was packing and being interviewed at the door of his hotel when he got the call telling him that Carlos had retired.


That was one of the most cruel things I´ve ever seen, 400 meters away from glory.....

[Torx]

Originally posted by mastropiero
That was one of the most cruel things I´ve ever seen, 400 meters away from glory.....

The reason why Tommi was out of the rally in the firstplace was equally cruel.

[mastropiero]

Is that some kind of poetic justice that I fail to understand?

[santori]

I've been supporting him since I started watching the WRC. I'll miss him but he's leaving like a champion.

[MortenF1]

Another GREAT name leaves, but like Mäkinen, he can leave with a smile on his face. Sainz was (is)always one of the most likeable drivers in rally. Thanks for years of entertainment King Carlos!

....Now if only McRae could return. The series needs one of the veteran names present.

[Wouter]

An end to the career of a great and sympathetic driver, who can still win in this stage of this career. Sainz

I'm not unhappy that this will probably mean that Duval goes to Citroën, though (unless Ford pulls through with a full effort next year perhaps).

[santori]

Originally posted by Wouter
An end to the career of a great and sympathetic driver, who can still win in this stage of this career. Sainz

I'm not unhappy that this will probably mean that Duval goes to Citroën, though (unless Ford pulls through with a full effort next year perhaps).

True. And Carlos is something of a role model for Duval so it's quite fitting.

[Aren]

Thanks for the memories you are leaving behind. It's been a pleasure to support you all these years.

Hasta siempre, Carlos.

[Wouter]

As an aside to the news about Sainz, I've just heard that Ford Europe will have a pressconference 2 november at Brussels, where CEO Lewis Booth and the director of Ford team RS will be present. So, it looks to be a grand and probably positive announcement (leaving F1 was covered just in a short pressmessage). Expectations apparently are that Ford will continue 4 more years in WRC with Malcolm Wilson's team.

[Cojayar]

Carlos Sainz will still participate in the two remaining races. Who knows, perhaps he can win in Spain or Australia. To leave the sport winning the last race is not someting everybody can achieve.

[Racer Joe]

Originally posted by Torx


The reason why Tommi was out of the rally in the firstplace was equally cruel.

I don't think too many things are equally cruel to losing the title that close to the finish of the final stage of the final rally of the year. Though of course both Tommi and Carlos were equally unfortunate to suffer DNFs.
________________

Thanks Carlos for the memories, the professionalism and the dedication to the sport. It was amazing to see him still able to put in some absolutely mesmerising drives in the last couple of years. The man is a champion.

[wagner]

Originally posted by Wouter
As an aside to the news about Sainz, I've just heard that Ford Europe will have a pressconference 2 november at Brussels, where CEO Lewis Booth and the director of Ford team RS will be present. So, it looks to be a grand and probably positive announcement (leaving F1 was covered just in a short pressmessage). Expectations apparently are that Ford will continue 4 more years in WRC with Malcolm Wilson's team.

Hope it's true There has also been rumors of Renault leaving F1 and joining WRC but it's just rumors.

Anyway, Märttin is going to Peugeot propably, Duval is out of Ford, who goes to Ford? Gröholm maybe? With some young driver? Although I would like to see Grönholm in Sainz place driving againts Loeb

[doggy]

carlos

btw how come there's no thread on WRC along the line of the great MotoGP 2004 thread ?

[role]

A great driver and a great person, full of carisma and determination. A pity to see him go.

Sometimes we do not realise that is hard for drivers to spend so much time away from their families.

Yesterday on the press conference Carlos said (more or less)

"This morning I was talking to my daughter and she still does not know how to ride a bike, she is 6 years old, I need to spend more time with my family."

[ivanalesi]

Very sad, one truly GREAT driver will be missed...
It is a big blow for WRC in the last 2 yrs with Mcrae, Makinen and Sainz all retired

[balaclava]

Sainz has taken a huge amount of stick in his homeland because of his bad luck, i hope that this people feels the VOID now that he is hanging his helmet. Carlos will be missed by real racing fans in Spain, thats for sure. World champs don't grow in gardens.

[Jason]

Originally posted by mastropiero
It was in 1998 when he lost the title to Tommi on the last stage. Tommi was packing and being interviewed at the door of his hotel when he got the call telling him that Carlos had retired.


That was one of the most cruel things I´ve ever seen, 400 meters away from glory.....

I remember that. Looked like Carlos wanted to push his car across the finish line. What a great WRC career he had. I'll miss him.

[Racer Joe]

Originally posted by Jason

I remember that. Looked like Carlos wanted to push his car across the finish line.

Yes I remember that.

I saw Luis Moya kicking the car and I felt like kicking the TV.....

[HP]

Not a good way to enter into retirement from rallying.

He had a pre-race crash hitting a tree, which damaged a disc on his back, so he had to pull out of the Australian rally, before it even started :

Get well soon

[BRG]

Rather an unfortunate end to an illustrious career. Maybe Carlos's mind wasn't really on the job? Still it means that he has effectively signed out of WRC at home in Spain in front of his adoring home crowd. It would have been even better if it had been planned that way!

Enjoy a good rest at home with your family and friends, Carlos and let's hope we see him back in the sport soon in some other capacity.

[mastropiero]

Maybe Carlos's mind wasn't really on the job?

I wouldn´t bet money on that, knowing him....... He still had the ambition of winning that rally, and he´d have liked bowing out with a blast.....


Unfortunate though.....


I hope to make it to the little farewell show Madrid is going to pull out for him on the 28th. There´s gonna be a mini-race track in the centre of the city and he and Loeb will have some fun with their cars.....



I still can´t believe he´s retired...

[Cojayar]

Is Carlos going to take part in the Michelin ROC race in Paris?
I thought so. Even if it's a show he would try to give the maximum.
I remember one of the worst accidents of Carlos Sainz was in a ROC race.
Let's hope this time he's luckier.

[Umpire]

A true champion to be sorely missed. His competitive showing and wins throughout the years show that the man simply knows how to drive a rally car, and quickly too! Nothing to do with age.