Double world rally champion Carlos Sainz tasted victory at Rally de Asturias Historico, making his aggressive debut driving a Ford Puma Rally1 World Rally Championship automobile.
The 1990 and 1992 world rally champion jumped behind the wheel of the most recent technology WRC automobile on the 10-stage asphalt rally in Spain that paid tribute to Sainz’s illustrious profession.
The 64-year-old teamed up with long-time co-driver Luis Moya for the rally that comprised 126.66 aggressive kilometres.
Sainz got here up towards two former WRC rivals in nine-time world champion Sebastien Loeb and four-time WRC rally winner Francois Delecour, who each piloted examples of the long-lasting Peugeot 306 Maxi.
Loeb received the opening three levels to race right into a 24.9s lead over Sainz because the crews headed to the primary service. Sainz hit again, successful two of the following three levels earlier than inheriting the lead when Loeb’s 306 Maxi suffered a clutch failure in stage eight. Sainz went on to take the win by 1min03.6s from Delecour.
“Pleasure, sure, however pleasure above all for the weekend,” stated Sainz on the end line. “The result’s secondary. The weekend has been wonderful, due to the individuals, and I’m pleased with how properly the race went.
“We have been a bit of frightened in regards to the massive crowds; we didn’t know precisely how many individuals there can be, however once we noticed what number of there have been… and ultimately, every little thing turned out properly, and I wish to take this chance to thank everybody who got here to indicate us their help, in fact the organisers, and, as I stated on the primary day, Ford and Purple Bull, who’re those who made it doable for us to be right here.”
#225 Ford M-Sport Ford: Carlos Sainz Sr
Picture by: A.S.O.
Sainz clocked up 196 WRC stars throughout his profession, recording 26 wins and 97 podium finishes, driving Toyota, Subaru, Lancia, Ford and Citroen equipment.
Since calling time on his WRC profession on the finish of 2005, Sainz has remained lively competing in rally-raid, successful the well-known Dakar Rally 4 occasions (2010, 2018, 2020, 2024).
Sainz joined Ford’s manufacturing facility World Rally-Raid Championship programme for 2025 and is sitting ninth within the championship standings this season.
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