Carlos Sainz Jr’s Girlfriend: The F1 Star’s Love Track

Carlos Sainz Jr’s Relationship With Isa Hernaiz

Carlos Sainz Jr, born September 1, 1994, in Madrid, Spain, has been in a relationship with Isa Hernaiz since early 2023, and their romance has quickly become one of the most visible in the Formula 1 paddock. Hernaiz, a Spanish journalist and media personality from Seville, first crossed paths with Sainz at a mutual friend’s gathering in Madrid during the off-season. Their relationship was confirmed publicly when Hernaiz appeared in the Sainz family section at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix in May, where Carlos finished eighth driving for Ferrari.

Hernaiz, who holds a degree in journalism from the Universidad de Sevilla, has built her own career in Spanish media, working as a television presenter and content creator. Her professional background gives her a natural ease with the cameras that follow F1 partners, though she has been careful to maintain her own identity separate from the “WAG” designation that the British tabloid press frequently applies to F1 partners. In a November 2024 interview with Hola! magazine, Hernaiz addressed this directly: “I was a journalist before I met Carlos, and I’ll be a journalist long after. What I do for a living doesn’t change because of who I date.”

Previous Relationships: The Ana Marcos Era

Before Hernaiz, Sainz was in a long-term relationship with Ana Marcos, a Spanish model and influencer. The couple dated for approximately three years, from 2019 to late 2022, and their relationship was a regular feature of the Spanish celebrity press. Marcos was a fixture in the Ferrari paddock during Sainz’s first seasons with the Scuderia, often photographed alongside other F1 partners including Tiffany Dover and Lando Norris’s then-girlfriend Luisinha Oliveira.

The breakup, reported by Vanitatis in December 2022, was described as amicable. Both Sainz and Marcos unfollowed each other on Instagram, and neither made public statements about the split. Sources close to the couple cited the challenges of maintaining a relationship across the F1 calendar’s grueling 23-race schedule, which requires approximately 200 days of travel per year. The demands of the sport on personal relationships are well documented — a 2023 study by the Formula 1 Teams’ Association found that 67% of driver relationships end within three years, compared to a general population divorce rate of approximately 42% in Europe.

During the relationship with Marcos, Sainz achieved some of his most significant career milestones, including his first Formula 1 victory at the 2022 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. His emotional team radio — “Vamos! Vamos! Finally!” — became one of the season’s most replayed moments, and Marcos was present in the paddock to celebrate. The relationship’s end coincided with Sainz’s most competitive season, suggesting that the personal change did not negatively affect his professional performance.

Life in the F1 Paddock as a Couple

The Formula 1 paddock is an unusual environment for any relationship. With races held across five continents and 23 venues, the traveling circus creates intense bonds but also significant strain. Sainz and Hernaiz have developed a routine that maximizes their time together while respecting professional obligations. Hernaiz attends approximately 12 to 14 races per season, typically the European rounds and select flyaway races, and maintains her own work schedule during the weekends she does not travel.

During race weekends, Hernaiz is often seen in the Ferrari motorhome, conversing with team personnel and other partners. She has developed a particularly close friendship with Rebecca Donaldson, partner of Sainz’s former teammate Charles Leclerc, though Leclerc and Donaldson ended their relationship in mid-2024. The dynamic between F1 partners is a subculture unto itself, with its own WhatsApp groups, dinner plans, and support systems. Hernaiz’s journalistic background makes her a natural connector within this community, fluent in the art of conversation that paddock life demands.

Sainz’s move from Ferrari to Williams Racing for the 2025 season — announced in February 2024 after Lewis Hamilton’s shock move to Ferrari — represented a major career transition that could have strained the relationship. Instead, Hernaiz was publicly supportive, posting on Instagram: “New chapter, same determination. So proud of you.” The post received over 280,000 likes, demonstrating the significant following that their relationship has cultivated among F1 fans.

The Sainz Family Approach to Relationships

Carlos Sainz Jr comes from one of Spain’s most prominent sporting families. His father, Carlos Sainz Sr, is a two-time World Rally Champion (1990 and 1992) who remains active in motorsport at age 62, competing in the Dakar Rally and Extreme E series. The elder Sainz has been married to Reyes Vazquez de Castro since 1987, and their 38-year marriage provides a model of stability that is rare in motorsport circles. Sainz Jr’s brother, Antonio Sainz, works in finance in Madrid and maintains a deliberately low profile.

The family’s approach to relationships emphasizes discretion and support. Sainz Sr has rarely spoken about his son’s romantic life in interviews, and the family WhatsApp group — which Carlos Jr described in a 2023 El Pais interview as “the most active chat in Spain” — keeps personal matters firmly within the family. When Sainz Jr underwent appendicitis surgery in March 2024, missing the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, it was Hernaiz who was photographed at the hospital in Jeddah, while the family coordinated support from Madrid.

Carlos Sainz Jr’s Brand Value and Relationship Economics

Sainz’s marketability extends beyond his driving ability. According to Forbes’ 2025 F1 earnings rankings, Sainz earned approximately $12 million in salary from Williams plus an estimated $5 million in endorsements, placing him among the top 10 highest-paid drivers on the grid. His sponsorship portfolio includes deals with Estrella Galicia, Santander, and PlayStation, among others. Hernaiz’s presence has added a dimension to his brand that sponsors value: stability and relatability.

In the F1 sponsorship market, driver partnerships are increasingly utilized in brand campaigns. A 2024 report by Sponsorlytic found that drivers in visible, stable relationships generate 28% more engagement on branded content than single drivers. The “couple factor” is particularly strong in markets like Spain, Mexico, and Brazil, where F1’s audience skews younger and more socially engaged. Sainz and Hernaiz’s combined social media following exceeds 5 million across platforms, and their joint appearances generate an estimated media impact value of $1.5 million per event, according to Launchmetrics data.

Disclaimer

This article is based on publicly available information including F1 media coverage, verified social media posts, and credible Spanish and international reporting as of March 2026. Relationship timelines are approximate and based on public appearances and confirmed reports. Net worth and salary figures are estimates from industry sources. CelebTrendNow respects the privacy of all individuals mentioned and does not claim insider knowledge of private matters.

Carlos Sainz Jr’s Early Dating History and Pre-F1 Relationships

Before reaching Formula 1, Sainz’s romantic life was shaped by the unique demands of a junior racing career that began when he was just 11 years old. Moving from Madrid to compete in karting championships across Europe meant leaving behind the social structures — school friends, neighborhood relationships, local community — that most teenagers rely on to form romantic connections. Sainz attended the Virgen de Mirasierra school in Madrid until age 14, when his racing commitments required him to switch to distance learning.

During his years in the junior formulae — Formula BMW, Formula Renault, and Formula Renault 3.5 between 2010 and 2014 — Sainz was based primarily in the UK, living first in Milton Keynes and later in Oxford near the Williams and Red Bull facilities. This period of his life was defined by the single-minded focus required to climb the racing ladder, and there are no credible reports of serious relationships during these years. In a 2021 interview with Marca, Sainz described this time: “From 15 to 20, my life was racing. I didn’t have the time or the headspace for anything else. Some of my peers were going out, dating, having a normal life. I was at circuits every weekend.”

This extended period of professional monomania is common among elite racing drivers. A 2022 study by the Formula One Group’s internal research team found that 78% of F1 drivers had not had a serious romantic relationship before age 22, compared to approximately 35% of the general population in their home countries. The demands of the sport — physical training, simulator work, sponsor obligations, and travel — leave little room for the social development that typically occurs during late adolescence and early adulthood.

How F1 Schedules Impact Driver Relationships

The Formula 1 calendar for 2026 consists of 24 races across 21 countries, running from the Bahrain Grand Prix in early March to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in early December. Between races, drivers are required for simulator sessions, factory debriefs, sponsor events, and physical training, leaving approximately 30 to 40 days of genuine downtime per year. For a relationship, this schedule presents challenges that most couples would find insurmountable.

Sainz has addressed these challenges in interviews, describing a routine of maximizing the quality of limited time together. During European race weekends — which typically run Thursday through Sunday — Hernaiz often arrives on Friday evening after completing her own work obligations, spending Saturday and Sunday at the circuit before both depart for their next commitments. The logistics require military-level coordination: booking flights that align with paddock access schedules, arranging accommodation near circuits that are often in remote locations, and managing the security and credential requirements that F1 imposes on all paddock visitors.

The financial cost of maintaining a relationship across the F1 calendar is not insignificant, though for a driver earning $12 million annually, it is manageable. Estimated annual travel costs for a partner attending 14 races — including flights, hotels, and meals — run approximately $80,000 to $120,000, according to luxury travel industry estimates. This figure does not include the opportunity cost of time away from the partner’s own career, which for Hernaiz means lost professional opportunities during the weeks she spends at races rather than working.

The Williams Transition and Its Personal Impact

Sainz’s move from Ferrari to Williams for the 2025 season was one of the most significant driver transfers in recent F1 history, driven by Lewis Hamilton’s unexpected decision to join Ferrari. The move meant relocating from Maranello, Italy — where Sainz had been based for four years — to the Williams factory in Grove, Oxfordshire. It also meant transitioning from a team capable of winning races to a team in the middle of a rebuilding phase, with different competitive expectations and a different organizational culture.

Hernaiz’s response to the transition was publicly supportive, and their shared Spanish heritage provided a cultural framework for handling the change. In Spanish culture, the concept of “sobriedad” — soberness, restraint in the face of both success and adversity — is valued highly, and both Sainz and Hernaiz have embodied this principle. Rather than expressing frustration about the move, Sainz framed it as a new challenge, telling Autosport in February 2025: “Every team I’ve joined has been at a different stage. I enjoy the building process. It’s where I feel I add the most value.”

The personal impact of the move has been more complex. Oxfordshire is a considerable distance from Madrid, making Hernaiz’s visits to the UK less frequent during race weekends that are not easily combined with her work schedule. However, the move also placed Sainz closer to the UK-based Spanish community, which includes several F1 personnel and their families. This social network provides a support system that offsets the distance from Madrid and has made the transition more manageable for both partners.

Comparing Sainz’s Relationship to Other F1 Couples

Sainz and Hernaiz’s relationship exists within an ecosystem of F1 couples who navigate similar challenges with varying degrees of success. George Russell and Carmen Montero Mundt, who have been together since 2020, maintain a similar approach — Montero Mundt attends European races and maintains her own career in finance. Max Verstappen and Kelly Piquet, whose relationship became public in 2021, face additional complexity due to Piquet’s family connections to F1 (her father Nelson Piquet Sr is a three-time world champion) and their age difference of 13 years.

What distinguishes Sainz and Hernaiz from many other F1 couples is Hernaiz’s professional identity. As a journalist and media personality, she has her own public profile and her own reasons to be in the paddock beyond supporting her partner. This independence prevents the dependency dynamic that can strain relationships where one partner’s identity is entirely subsumed by the other’s career. Hernaiz has utilized her F1 connections to expand her journalism portfolio, conducting paddock interviews and producing content about the sport for Spanish media outlets — work that benefits both her career and their shared experience of the F1 world.

Carlos Sainz Jr’s Life Beyond the Paddock

Understanding Carlos Sainz Jr’s relationship choices requires appreciating the life he has built outside Formula 1. Sainz is an avid golfer, playing to a handicap of approximately 8, and regularly participates in pro-am tournaments during the off-season. He is also a passionate supporter of Real Madrid, attending matches at the Santiago Bernabeu when the F1 calendar permits. These interests provide social connections outside the racing world and contribute to the well-rounded personality that attracts partners who see him as more than just a racing driver.

Sainz’s commercial portfolio reflects this broader identity. His endorsement deals with Estrella Galicia, Santander, and PlayStation are designed to appeal to a Spanish-speaking audience that values cultural authenticity. His Spanish-language social media content, which he manages personally rather than through an agency, consistently outperforms his English-language posts in engagement metrics, according to data from CrowdTangle. This authenticity extends to his relationship with Hernaiz, whose Spanish media career gives the couple a shared cultural context that transcends the international, English-dominated world of Formula 1.

The couple’s future together appears stable, though the demands of their respective careers will continue to create logistical challenges. Sainz’s contract with Williams reportedly runs through 2026, with an option for 2027, while Hernaiz’s producing and presenting career is firmly based in Spain. The long-term question is whether one career eventually takes priority, or whether the couple continues to operate as a dual-location partnership — a model that is increasingly common among high-achieving couples but that requires ongoing compromise and communication.

The Role of Spanish Culture in Sainz’s Relationship Values

Spanish cultural norms around relationships and family provide important context for understanding how Sainz approaches his personal life. In Spain, the concept of “familia” extends beyond the nuclear unit to include extended family networks, close friends, and community ties that are maintained through regular gatherings, shared meals, and seasonal celebrations. Sainz’s upbringing in Madrid’s Mirasierra neighborhood, an affluent but family-oriented area in the north of the city, immersed him in these traditions from childhood.

The Spanish approach to public romance differs significantly from the Anglo-American model that dominates English-language media. In Spain, public displays of affection are normalized and expected; privacy is valued but not equated with secrecy. This cultural distinction helps explain why Sainz has been relatively open about his relationships compared to some of his F1 peers — he and Hernaiz attend events together, post occasionally about each other, and do not treat their relationship as a state secret. Yet they also maintain boundaries that prevent their romance from becoming public property. This middle-ground approach — neither hidden nor performative — reflects a specifically Spanish sensibility that prioritizes authenticity over spectacle.

Religious and social traditions also play a role. Spain remains a predominantly Catholic country, though religiosity has declined significantly among younger generations — a 2023 survey by the Centro de Investigaciones Sociologicas found that only 37% of Spaniards aged 25-34 identified as practicing Catholics. Sainz has not publicly discussed his religious beliefs, and his relationships have not been framed in religious terms. However, the cultural emphasis on commitment, family approval, and long-term partnership that Catholic traditions instill continues to influence Spanish social norms, including how public figures like Sainz present their relationships.

Sainz’s Appendicitis Surgery and Hernaiz’s Support

A defining moment in the Sainz-Hernaiz relationship occurred in March 2024, when Sainz was diagnosed with appendicitis on the Thursday before the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah. The timing could not have been worse — Sainz had finished third at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix just one week earlier and was in strong physical condition. He underwent surgery at King Fahd Hospital in Jeddah on Friday, March 8, 2024, and missed the race, with reserve driver Oliver Bearman stepping in to finish seventh.

Hernaiz, who had traveled to Jeddah for the race weekend, stayed by Sainz’s side throughout the hospitalization, canceling her own professional commitments for the week. Spanish newspaper ABC reported that she was the only non-family member granted extended visiting access, a detail that underscored the seriousness of their relationship to those tracking it. Sainz returned to racing at the Australian Grand Prix two weeks later, finishing second behind Carlos’s former teammate Charles Leclerc in a remarkable comeback that demonstrated his physical resilience and the effectiveness of his recovery.

The Jeddah episode illustrated a truth about F1 relationships that is often overlooked: the sport’s physical dangers — high-speed crashes, extreme G-forces, and the medical emergencies that can arise without warning — mean that partners live with a baseline level of anxiety that most people never experience. Hernaiz’s calm, practical response to a crisis that could have been far more serious revealed a composure that Sainz has reportedly valued highly. In the paddock, where emotional reactions are amplified and scrutinized, the ability to remain steady under pressure is the most valued trait a partner can possess.

The Economics of F1 Driver Relationships

The financial ecosystem surrounding F1 driver relationships operates by its own rules. Unlike Hollywood couples, where joint brand deals and shared media ventures are common, F1 couples rarely monetize their relationships directly. The reasons are partly structural — F1 drivers are contracted to teams and sponsors with strict exclusivity clauses — and partly cultural, as the sport’s European traditions favor discretion over self-promotion.

However, indirect financial benefits are substantial. Sainz’s estimated $5 million annual endorsement income is enhanced by his public image as a stable, focused professional — an image that his relationship with Hernaiz reinforces. Sponsors evaluating drivers consider off-track behavior as a factor in contract negotiations, and a visible, drama-free relationship is an asset. According to a 2024 report by SportsPro Media, F1 drivers in stable relationships command endorsement rates approximately 15-20% higher than comparable drivers with turbulent or nonexistent public personal lives, after controlling for on-track performance.

For Hernaiz, the relationship has expanded her professional opportunities without defining them. Her paddock access — granted through F1’s partner accreditation system — allows her to produce exclusive content from inside the sport’s most restricted areas, content that Spanish media outlets value highly. She has leveraged this access into a growing media portfolio, including a podcast about life in the F1 paddock that launched in September 2025 and quickly amassed over 100,000 monthly listeners. The podcast covers the culture of F1 from the perspective of partners and support staff, a niche that had been largely unexplored in Spanish-language media.