Carlos Sainz Jr. Quotes

I drove long distances like the 24 hours of Le Mans for years. But even this racing is now over. I retired.

I love the role of being the experienced driver and that is definitely the case next year - I think I am the most experienced guy in F1 next year.

In my city of Maracay, there is a go kart circuit about five minutes from my home. When I was about three or four years old, I said I wanted to race, but I was too young; then, when I reached the age of seven, my father gave me a kart and we started from there.

But my passion is racing cars. It's what I like to do in my off time.

With tennis, you can go pick up a racket, take a lesson, and understand how much talent and skill it takes to be as good as the top pros. Same with golf: pick up a club. But not many can go out and get in a race car and experience a drive at over 200 miles an hour.

If I weren't skateboarding, I'd love to race cars. I like anything that's fast and active.

I'm not a girl racer, I save my speed for the race track.

In December 2005 I had a very good opportunity to test Renault's world championship-winning car at Barcelona, and after 30 laps I was setting really good times, so I know what it's like to drive a really good car.

The European drivers have adapted to this circuit extremely quickly, especially Paul Radisich who's a New Zealander.

I started racing go karts when I was six. I just loved everything about racing. I was raised in a racing family. And I always wanted to race for a living at the highest level I could.

I am a racing driver and I am not just some guy who has had an accident and gone back to racing because that is what he enjoys.

I can't remember what made my dad take us karting for the first time, I can't remember really. I was into motorsport by then and I knew everything, and every driver, it was around 2009, 2008. That's when I first properly knew about Formula One. Those were the days.

My goal has always been to be known as a racer who is diverse, someone who can go to any venue and any racetrack anywhere and compete for a win.

I think I did a pretty good job - particularly when I was racing with Hakkinen. It was maybe the first time that I have been challenging with the big boys, and I really enjoyed it.

Formula One was just cool. I loved racing, all types of racing, but from a young age, Formula One was the noise and everything, and that's what I was drawn to. I already knew when I was younger, the coolest guys are in F1... not that NASCAR drivers aren't cool, but that was always what I had in my head!

I think Stirling Moss represents everything that a racing driver should be and first of all, it's passion.

My big break came at 22 years old when I joined the Mercedes Benz touring championship team.

It is one thing to drive a Formula 1 car, and it is another thing to actually race it.

As soon as I signed with Ferrari it was clear to me that people expected big performances from me. Even though people were realistic enough to see that I was only starting my second season and that I still had a lot to learn.

What many people don't realise is the first F1 test I was offered by Frank Williams and the team was a one-off. It was never planned that I would become part of the team or it would lead to more.

I believe I have earned my shot in F1. I have won F3, and we all know F3 is a very high level.

Being team-mate to Michael Schumacher at Benetton in my first year of Formula One was certainly a high pressure situation.

I was driving in Formula Renault 2.0... with Daniel Ricciardo.

I think it's always better to be in an F1 car because, in general, the car behaves itself.

As a racing driver, everything you do is to get to Formula 1 and one day it stops.