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Carlos Sainz Shares Honest Reflection on Lewis Hamilton

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Samriddhi Jaiswal | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 8:26 AM ET

Carlos Sainz may now go wheel-to-wheel with Lewis Hamilton on F1 Sundays, but the Spanish driver has admitted that his respect for the seven-time world champion runs far deeper than just the battles on track.

Speaking on BBC Radio’s All Day Breakfast Show, Sainz offered a candid look at how his view of Hamilton has shifted since childhood. The Williams driver revealed that long before he was a Grand Prix winner himself, Hamilton was one of the figures who inspired him to pursue a racing career.

From Idol to Rival

I was 12 years old when I started watching F1, when Lewis was racing Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa,” Sainz said. “He used to be one of my idols and one of the people that I looked up to, but now he’s one of my competitors, 10, 15 years later.”

For Sainz, who grew up in the Fernando Alonso era of Spanish motorsport, Hamilton represented another level of talent and determination. The fact that he now races against him, often in direct competition, is something he still sees as surreal.

Sainz continues, “For me, honestly, it’s because he’s my competitor, but if I were not in F1, he would be one of my idols.”

Respect Beyond Rivalry

While Hamilton remains a fierce competitor on track, Sainz’s words underscore the unique dynamic in F1 where drivers who once idolized champions actually find themselves fighting against themselves. It’s a reminder of the generational turnover in the sport, where the heroes of one era become the rivals of the next.

Carlos Sainz on Sir Lewis Hamilton: "I was 12 years old when I started watching F1, when [Lewis] was racing Fernando Alonso & Felipe Massa. He used to be one of my idols and one of the people that I looked up to, but now he’s one of my competitors, 10, 15 years later."

"For me,… pic.twitter.com/XNeIzlsb5T
— sim (@simsgazette) September 27, 2025

The comments also highlight the mutual respect that continues to define Hamilton’s place in F1. Even as he prepares a new chapter with Ferrari in 2025, Hamilton’s legacy extends beyond his wins and records influencing the very drivers now tasked with challenging him.

For Sainz, acknowledging Hamilton’s influence while also viewing him as a rival captures the essence of F1: admiration, respect, and the relentless drive to beat the best.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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