Carlos Sainz Sr made historical past on the 2024 Dakar Rally by turning into the oldest driver ever to win the celebrated occasion at a outstanding age of 61.
It was Sainz Sr’s fourth victory within the Dakar, 14 years after his first, including to an already illustrious profession for the double world rally champion.
So, it’s no shock that his motorsport genes handed by means of the household with Sainz’s son, Carlos Jr, being a System 1 grand prix winner for Ferrari.
Drivers following their father into motorsport is nothing new although, as Keke and Nico Rosberg are each F1 world champions for instance – however what number of have change into well-known by way of a special motor racing self-discipline to their mother or father or sibling?
Listed below are some on that record:
Father and son
Carlos Sainz Sr and Carlos Sainz Jr – Rally and Single-seaters
Sainz Sr’s rally profession dates again 44 years to 1980, and he starred within the WRC, the place he made his debut for Ford in 1987 till making an enormous transfer to Toyota two years later, as Sainz Sr gained each his world championships (1990 and 1992) with the Japanese producer.
Sainz Sr – who additionally drove for Lancia, Subaru and Citroen – achieved eight extra top-three finishes within the WRC earlier than ending his 18-year stint in rally’s high class in 2005.
That coincided with the beginning of Sainz Jr’s profession, because the Spaniard started karting in 2006. He progressed to single-seaters in 2010 the place he grew to become a member of the Crimson Bull junior squad.
Photograph by: Audi Communications Motorsport
#204 Workforce Audi Sport Audi RS Q e-tron E2: Carlos Sainz Sr., Carlos Sainz Jr.
Sainz’s debut in F1 equipment was a younger drivers’ take a look at at Silverstone for Toro Rosso in 2013. He made his full F1 debut with the crew in 2015 and 9 seasons later, after stints for Toro Rosso, Renault and McLaren, he’s now a grand prix winner for Ferrari having gained at Silverstone and Singapore.
Though Sainz Jr made his identify in a special motorsport self-discipline to his father, Sainz Sr did race single-seaters in his youth, having competed in System Ford.
Nigel Albon and Alex Albon – Touring vehicles and Single-seaters
Nigel Albon’s first foray into motorsport got here in 1993 when he raced within the Renault Clio Cup a 12 months earlier than finishing a season within the British Touring Automobile Championship.
Albon drove a Renault 19 for Harlow Motorsport in BTCC however completed thirtieth within the general standings failing to attain some extent. His profession spotlight got here eight years later as Albon gained the 2002 Sepang 12 Hours alongside Malaysian team-mates Tunku Hammam and Tommy Lee, earlier than competing within the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia for 3 years from 2005-07 the place fourth within the ’07 standings was the Briton’s greatest end.
It was round that point that his son, Alex, began successful nationwide and European karting championships from 2006-11. He subsequently moved into single-seaters for 2012 with the backing of Crimson Bull, however a tricky 12 months ending thirty eighth in Eurocup System Renault 2.0 and seventeenth in System Renault 2.0 Alps noticed Albon dropped from the junior programme after only one season.
He as soon as once more had a tricky 12 months earlier than bouncing again in 2014 with third in Eurocup System Renault 2.0. From then, Albon was on the up and second within the 2016 GP3 Sequence earlier than third in System 2 two years later landed him a last-minute name as much as F1 with Toro Rosso for 2019 – which meant re-joining the Crimson Bull programme.
The Thai-British driver then moved to Crimson Bull midway by means of his rookie season, however Albon in the end struggled and was dropped for the 2021 season. Albon finally discovered his means again into F1 with Williams for 2022, the place he has since shone and helped the British outfit stand up the order.
Mick Doohan and Jack Doohan – MotoGP and Single-seaters
Photograph by: Carl Bingham / Motorsport Photographs
Mick Doohan and son Jack Doohan
Mick Doohan is thought to be one of many best motorbike racers ever, having gained 5 consecutive 500cc titles from 1994-98. He started driving on the age of eight in Australia earlier than transitioning to highway racing at 19.
Doohan rode the 1988 Superbike World Championship the place he gained in Japan and Australia earlier than transferring to grand prix racing in 1989. He claimed his first victory in 1990 and gained a race each season till 1999, when leg accidents sustained from a crash in qualifying for the Spanish motorbike Grand Prix successfully ended his profession.
Initially, his son Jack was intent on following an identical profession path, nevertheless, on the age of 5 the youthful Doohan broke his leg whereas driving a motorbike and he subsequently pursued four-wheels as an alternative. Doohan began aggressive karting in 2012 earlier than transferring to single-seater racing in 2018 and Jack has step by step progressed by means of the ladder to finish up as Alpine’s reserve driver after third within the 2023 System 2 standings.
John Button and Jenson Button – Rallycross and Single-seaters
John Button grew to become an F1 paddock common as he supported his son Jenson at virtually each grand prix the 2009 world champion competed in – nevertheless, what got here earlier than was a fairly stellar profession.
Jenson’s late father made his identify within the Nineteen Seventies ending runner-up within the 1976 British Rallycross and Lydden Rallycross championships, earlier than creating Rocket Motorsport when Jenson started karting at 11 years previous.
Button gained many karting titles together with the 1997 European Championship forward of transferring to single-seaters in 1998, the place Jenson instantly gained the British System Ford Championship earlier than his huge transfer to F1 two years later.
Jenson drove his rookie season with Williams, which began a 16-year stint in motorsport’s high class. Nonetheless, Jenson continued to race after leaving F1 as Button gained the 2018 Tremendous GT Championship and is ready for a World Endurance Championship drive in 2024.
Photograph by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Photographs
Jenson Button, Brawn GP and an emotional John Button have a good time
Niki Lauda and Mathias & Lukas Lauda – Single-seaters, Sportscars and Rally Raid
Niki Lauda was a real racer at coronary heart as he began a profession within the business regardless of his dad and mom’ disapproval, so the Austrian took a financial institution mortgage to land an F1 seat as a result of all household ties have been reduce off.
Lauda had the final snigger as he grew to become world champion in 1975 and was on track to repeat that feat in 1976, till a devastating crash at a moist Nurburgring virtually price his life. Nonetheless, Lauda miraculously returned three races later and though he misplaced the title on the ultimate day of that season to James Hunt, the Ferrari driver gained the championship once more in 1977.
He subsequently retired from F1 on the finish of 1979, however Lauda returned for 1982 to change into a triple world champion in 1984. It’s due to this fact no shock that this ardour for motorsport was handed right down to his sons.
Mathias Lauda began in components racing however made a reputation for himself largely in touring vehicles and sportscars, as he spent 4 seasons in DTM earlier than doing Porsche Supercup in 2010-11. Later in Mathias’ profession he raced in varied different classes, which included successful the 2017 LMGTE Am class in WEC.
His older brother, Lukas, was Mathias’ supervisor on the time, however then he tried racing himself by competing within the 2022 Rallye du Maroc as a part of the World Rally-Raid Championship. Lukas additionally competed within the 2024 Dakar the place he completed fifteenth within the challenger class.
Stig Blomqvist and Tom Blomqvist – Rally and Single-seaters
The Blomqvist household is sort of just like the Sainz story in that the daddy is a rally world champion, whereas the son pursued single-seater racing. Stig Blomqvist started rallying in 1964 earlier than competing on a world stage six years later the place his first victory got here on the 1971 Swedish Rally, which was a part of the Worldwide Championship for Producers and later grew to become the World Rally Championship in 1973.
Blomqvist was finally topped WRC champion in 1984 and continued to compete in WRC rounds till 2006, whereas making an attempt rallycross part-time alongside.
Photograph by: Alexander Trienitz
Tom Blomqvist, BMW Workforce RBM, BMW M4 DTM along with his Stig Blomqvist
In the meantime, his son Tom started karting in 2003 the place he gained varied championships in New Zealand till transferring to Europe in 2009 for single-seaters.
He left single-seaters for DTM in 2015, earlier than returning to open cockpit racing for the 2017-18 System E championship. Since then, Blomqvist has raced in IndyCar, completed second in school on the 2021 Le Mans 24 Hours and twice gained the Daytona 24 Hours which included sealing the 2022 IMSA SportsCar Championship crown.
Henrik Lundgaard and Christian Lundgaard – Rally and Single-seaters
Henrik Lundgaard had a stellar motorsport profession as he made his WRC debut on the 1995 Monte Carlo Rally. His subsequent WRC look got here two years later with a factors end on the identical occasion and Lundgaard entered varied extra rallies over the approaching seasons.
Lundgaard’s profession spotlight is successful the 2000 European Rally Championship, the place the Dane gained 5 of 10 rallies and scored over double the factors tally of runner-up Bruno Thiry.
It was not lengthy till Henrik’s son, Christian, began his motorsport journey however that was in highway racing and never rally. Christian started karting in 2012 the place a profitable stint, which included successful the 2015 European Championship, gave him a shot at single-seater racing for 2017.
Christian started by successful the 2017 Spanish F4 Championship and he progressed as much as F2 earlier than heading state-side for IndyCar in 2022. Lundgaard’s maiden IndyCar victory got here in 2023 and he’s set for one more season within the championship this 12 months.
Franz Wurz and Alexander Wurz – Rallycross and Single-seaters
Franz Wurz made his identify by means of rallycross within the Nineteen Seventies the place he gained the European Rallycross Championship in ’74, ’76 and ’82. Nonetheless, his son Alexander, pursued single-seaters as he progressed from karting to F1 whereas Wurz made his debut with Benetton in 1997 a 12 months after successful the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Photograph by: LAT Photographic
Alex Wurz is first within the new MP4-17 in Barcelona
Nonetheless, he left Benetton on the finish of 2000 to change into McLaren’s take a look at driver earlier than touchdown a full-time spot on the F1 grid once more with Williams in 2007. That stint solely lasted a season although and afterwards he raced Le Mans Prototypes throughout varied championships earlier than turning into chairman of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Affiliation (GPDA), which is a task he nonetheless holds immediately.
Siblings
Whereas many father-son duos have competed in a special motorsport self-discipline to one another, the record additionally extends to siblings.
Lewis Hamilton and Nicolas Hamilton – Single-seaters and Touring Vehicles
From a really early age Lewis Hamilton was tipped for stardom and he has achieved precisely that by successful seven F1 world championships, whereas setting the report for many grand prix victories and pole positions.
Nonetheless, what his half-brother Nicolas has achieved can also be fairly outstanding. Nicolas, who has cerebral palsy, grew to become the primary disabled BTCC driver in 2015 and races with a specialised automotive consequently.
Nicolas has pushed in six BTCC seasons with twenty fourth in 2023 being his greatest end result, whereas Hamilton has competed in different closed cockpit championships just like the Renault Clio Cup UK and European Touring Automobile Cup alongside supporting his brother at varied F1 grands prix.
Max Chilton and Tom Chilton – Single-seaters and Touring Vehicles
Max Chilton is generally identified for his stint in F1, the place the Briton raced two seasons for Marussia in 2013-14 but failed to attain some extent within the uncompetitive equipment. That got here after beginning karting on the age of 10 as he then progressed by means of the single-seater ladder, the place fourth within the 2012 GP2 Sequence championship led to him transferring into F1.
After F1, Chilton drove six seasons in IndyCar and in 2022 he broke the hillclimb report on the Goodwood Competition of Pace with a time of 39.08s whereas driving the McMurtry Speirling. In the meantime, his older brother of six years, Tom, had a completely totally different motorsport profession as he competed in closed cockpit racing.
Photograph by: Motorsport Photographs
Tom and Max Chilton in 2009
As a teen, Tom raced within the 1999 and 2000 BRSCC T Vehicles Championship, earlier than making his BTCC debut in 2002. Final 12 months was Tom’s seventeenth season in BTCC the place third within the 2018 standings is his greatest end result, whereas Chilton has additionally competed within the World Touring Automobile Cup Championship.
Stirling Moss and Pat Moss – Single-seaters and Rally
Stirling Moss’s achievements in his racing profession are well-known, having gained 16 grands prix, completed runner-up within the F1 drivers’ championship 4 instances and he’s regarded by many as the best driver to by no means win the world title.
Nonetheless, Moss’ sister, Pat, was fairly an completed rally driver. At 11 years previous her older brother taught her methods to drive and by the age of 18, Pat had began driving in membership rallies earlier than competing within the 1955 RAC Rally, now often called the Rally of Nice Britain, the place she completed third within the girls’ class.
Pat had her main breakthrough three years later ending fourth on the RAC and Liege-Rome-Liege rallies, earlier than successful the primary of 5 European Women’ Rally Championships in 1958.
In 1960 Pat claimed her maiden worldwide victory – the primary girl in historical past to take action – on the Liege-Rome-Liege Rally earlier than extra wins on the 1962 Tulip and German rallies. By this level Pat was one of many UK’s most completed rally drivers, nevertheless, as soon as she gave beginning in 1969, she began rallying a lot much less and totally retired in 1974.
