“He’s one of my favourite actors”: Carlos Sainz names Hollywood royalty alongside tennis legend as his most famous contacts
Atlassian Williams Racing driver Carlos Sainz named a Hollywood star and a tennis legend as the most famous individuals in his contact list. The former Scuderia Ferrari driver revealed this in a chat with his teammate, Alex Albon.
Both Williams drivers appeared on Team Torque, a show hosted by the Grove-based team ahead of the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, where they discussed lesser-known details about themselves.
During the show, Albon asked Sainz about the most famous person in his phonebook. In response, the Spaniard named actor Will Smith and tennis great Rafael Nadal.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Carlos Sainz, responding to the question, said:
“Maybe Rafa Nadal… that I have met, probably shaken hands with, or had a conversation with. Maybe Will Smith.…He is cool, like Will. He’s one of my favorite actors.”
When asked where he met Will Smith, Sainz simply replied:
“Miami.”
It has become a familiar trend in modern F1 to see numerous sports stars and entertainment icons on the grid and in the paddock ahead of race weekends. The Monaco Grand Prix, in particular, is renowned for featuring the highest number of sports celebrities and entertainment icons at an F1 race, with the ambiance of the event and its seaside view largely contributing factors.
Carlos Sainz reveals his father is still upset over his Audi rejection
Carlos Sainz recently revealed that his father, Carlos Sainz Sr., is still upset over his decision to join Williams instead of Audi. The 30-year-old was linked with several teams on the grid following the announcement of his exit from Ferrari.
Sainz was rumored to be in contention for seats at both Red Bull Racing and Mercedes-AMG. However, both moves fell through, leaving him with options among several backmarker and midfield teams.
The father of the four-time Grand Prix winner would have preferred his son to join Audi, but Sainz ultimately opted for Williams.
Reflecting on his decision in an interview with Blick newspaper, the former McLaren driver admitted that his father is still disappointed with his choice:
“My father is still disappointed that I didn't accept the great offer from Audi. After my dream of moving to Red Bull or Mercedes ended, I had to choose between Audi, Alpine, and Williams. After the factory visits and discussions, my gut feeling immediately told me to go to Williams. They want a better future. And when my heart also said yes, the decision was made. Now I hope that my father, who had great times with Audi, will soon be happy that I chose Williams.”
Carlos Sainz has been brimming with optimism following his switch to Williams Racing, and the 30-year-old has already offered glimpses of what to expect in the 2025 season. He set the fastest time during the three-day pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit.