"There is still Sainz for a while"

It should not be easy to have so much to celebrate at such a delicate moment for everyone, but the 2020 of

(58 years old, Madrid) is well worth it.

It has been a year full of successes with the Dakar and the Princess of Asturias.

—After such a fantastic year as the one you've had, this AS Sports Award couldn't be more deserved.

With what enthusiasm do you receive it?

—All the awards are, to be honest, important and they are all very exciting.

In this case, if it comes from a medium like AS, that AS and Carlos Sainz have a history in common for many years and very close, well even more.

AS has been part of my childhood, part of my youth and now part of this stage.

I have lived with you for many years and such recognition from you makes me very excited.

It is a complicated year, in which unfortunately we will not be able to celebrate it as we would have liked and as the galas of AS sport tend to be, but it has the same value, of course.

—He joins his son, who we gave the Promise Award in 2009. They both already have one of our awards.

—I always say that I have felt very recognized by the press and by the Spanish media, among which of course I include AS.

I appreciate the award, I consider myself very, very recognized by your environment.

—If you like, let's review how your 2020 has been starting with the Dakar.

You couldn't start the year better ...

—Without a doubt, it was a good start to the year winning in a race that was highly contested and in a new continent that we discovered.

But it was practically arriving from Dakar and after a month the whole story of the coronavirus began, from there it changed our lives.

We started with great joy, but I don't have to tell you that it has been a very tough year at all levels and I hope it will pass soon for the good of all.

"We hope so, of course."

Coming back to their victory in Arabia, it was hotly contested, exciting almost to the end with that three-way match with Al Attiyah and Peterhansel.

—Yes, the fight with both was practically until the penultimate day and that made it more exciting on the one hand.

And on the other hand, when things cost as it did on this occasion and everything is so disputed, personally it makes you more excited.

"The Princess Award is important, but if you are Spanish, much more"

- Later, when we left the confinement, he had great news with the signing of his son by Ferrari.

How did they experience it?

"It was very good news."

A signing at a time and with different negotiations, during a confinement situation that did not make them easy, especially due to communication, but they had a happy ending and the signing could be finalized.

I think he is very happy and with many illusions deposited in next year.

Being a Ferrari driver must be something special, and any Formula 1 driver I am convinced would like to drive for them.

"It's a dream come true."

Did they ever imagine it, speak it at home?

—As I have said once, dreaming is free and Carlos's dream of course is to take important steps in his sports career, such as this one, but I am convinced that he dreams of the maximum, of being able to be champion one day.

The steps must be taken little by little.

—And what do you expect from your first year with the 'Scuderia'?

—I don't know, we will have to see the evolution of the car, until we know how it goes ... Easy will not have it because normally there were eight days of collective tests before the season, this year there were six and the next they talk of three and, since you have to share it with the other driver, in the end you will have to go to the first race with a day and a half of testing, which to get to know the car is not enough.

It is really curious and inconceivable that such situations can occur.

- Continuing with other good news, the fans of the World Rally Championship voted him the best driver in history ahead of Loeb.

What did you think?

—We all like any recognition, and that is important because it is spontaneous from rally fans.

As I said at the time, I don't know if I deserve it or not, Loeb probably deserves it more, but it means that the fans continue to remember what I could contribute to the World Cup.

Maybe they value being the first rider to go fast on all surfaces, to change their mentality a bit ... I don't know what they have valued, but I really appreciate it.

—And to top it off, he received the Princess of Asturias for sports.

We saw him especially excited and excited when picking it up.

—We didn't know if there was going to be a ceremony, but there was.

It was appropriate to the situation, how could it be otherwise, but in the end it was and was very good, I was very excited.

It is an award that is important for any athlete, but if you are also Spanish, then much more.

It will be in the best place in my trophy cabinet.

"It was a highly contested Dakar and also on a new continent"

"There are many of us who consider that justice was done to his career that day."

—Giving an international sport award I think is very complicated because there are many people who deserve it and for the jury it should not be an easy task.

So, as on other occasions, I would have respected the decision if they had not considered it, but this time they did and I am very, very grateful.

But I already said that there are many, many athletes, I insist, many, who could also deserve it, therefore, in that sense, you have to be understanding and abide by the decisions.

- Now, you are fully involved in the preparation of the Dakar.

How does this new race lead to the Arabian desert?

—It has been a different year when preparing it, not so much on a physical level, because you have the freedom to make whatever plan you consider, but in terms of tests and competitions.

We could not race in Morocco, we did it in Andalusia.

The race was good, but it has nothing to do with what we are going to find in the Dakar, so now we are going to run a couple of two-day Casualties in Arabia before the rally, in December, and in that way we think that we can arrive well prepared.

The car is very similar to last year, improved in some aspects, and we hope that these two tests go well to reach the top and with all the homework done.

- Speaking of the Rally of Andalusia, before starting he told us that he did not expect much because it was not very favorable terrain for his Mini, but he finished just behind Al Attiyah and that is a very good sign for the Dakar.

—Yes, getting that second place may surprise people, but you have to bear in mind that it is a very large two-wheel-drive car that is not designed or tuned for that type of road and road. races, he defends himself better on open ground, in sand, off-track ... And therefore, that second place I think had merit and is a good sign.

—The Dakar route was presented on Wednesday, what do you think?

—There are long stages again and after last year's experience I already have a sense of what we are going to find.

It's going to be a tough, long race ... This year there is also the Prodrive team, with none other than Loeb and Roma, so there is going to be tough competition.

And the race is looking good, after the first performance this year in Arabia I am convinced that the organization learned from the problems.

The second week was very, very fast and this edition we will not return to that area, we are going more for the first week that has some impressive sites.

"Can you also anticipate a repeat of the fight against Al Attiyah and Peterhansel?"

"Maybe some more will be added, but surely the three of us will be as usual."

"Carlos will not have it easy at Ferrari with a day and a half of testing ... It is inconceivable"

Do you trust the coronavirus to leave the Dakar alone?

"Well, I think it is a sword of Damocles that we are all going to have, one cannot be trusted, but it is true that the Dakar is long and anything can happen for two weeks."

I trust that the bivouac bubble is safe enough so that there are no casualties or infections.

- You recently mentioned that you are preparing another project and you have already dropped that it may be Extreme E, what can you tell us?

- Indeed, I am looking at the possibilities of participating in this new championship.

It has a new format, nothing similar has ever been done, and 100% electric and

cars

I am evaluating it, but for the moment it is still too early to say something.

—The fact that I have other projects in mind means that Carlos Sainz remains for a while.

-

Not for a long time, but for a little while, yes.

Simply having the concern to look at other things I think is a good sign.

"Finally, I would ask you to send a message to the readers of AS."

—Well, nothing, thank you once again for your support, as always, to all the people for all the affection you have shown me throughout this year.

And to promise them that we will defend that Dakar title hard and we will try to give them joy.

-Surely yes.

Thank you very much, already for that.

-Thanks a lot.