Real Madrid, Carlos Sr and the other priorities of Carlos Sainz Jr – from the F1 Magazine

Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (2ndL) celebrates with teammates Real Madrid's midfielder Isco (L) and Real Madrid's Brazilian defender Marcelo (2ndR) after scoring during the Spanish league football match RCD Espanyol vs Real Madrid CF at the Power8 stadium in Cornella de Llobregat on September 12, 2015. AFP PHOTO/ LLUIS GENE

Spanish Carlos Sainz drives his Citroen, during the Ibarrilla-Mesa de Reyes stage in Leon, Guanajuato, 14 March 2004, on the third day of the Rally of Mexico, the third round of the world championship series. AFP PHOTO/Alfredo ESTRELLA

There are many perks to life as a Formula One driver: getting to see the world, driving on challenging tracks and going up against formidable rivals are a few of them.

For Carlos Sainz Jr, who completes his first season in F1 on Sunday at the Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, there is one particular reason that the Toro Rosso driver is looking forward to seeing the chequered flag to signal the end of the season though: it will allow him to see more of Real Madrid, his beloved football side.

When he sat down for an interview with The National, in Japan, the 21-year-old Spaniard divulged his winter plans. "You need to keep training a lot, but the nights are free; I can see Real, which is always great.

“I have my seats in the Bernabeu with my dad and I have supported them all my life and go whenever I can.”

While the son has his hands full competing in F1, he still has time to keep an eye on Real’s results. He believes the appointment of Rafael Benitez as manager is bringing success to the Primera Liga side.

Of Benitez’s reputation for creating well-organised sides with a strong defensive core, he says: “I don’t think you need to teach [Gareth] Bale, [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Karim] Benzema how to attack. You need to teach them more how to defend and how to create a solid centre and I like the look of how Benitez has got us playing so far.”

Most F1 action happens at the weekend, the same time football is played, but Sainz Jr says he has already managed to fit in some good memories into the times he has made it to the Bernabeu.

“I have never been to a final but I have been to quarter-finals and semi-finals of the Champions League in the stadium and it is one of the best feelings,” he says.

“I go and watch them when I can. Racing, obviously, is my life and comes first, but I am always trying and go and watch my team whenever I can.”

Abu Dhabi brings back happy memories for Sainz Jr. It it was 12 months ago, after testing at Yas Marina Circuit, that he was confirmed as getting a race seat with Toro Rosso, partnering with Max Verstappen.

Sainz Jr, despite being 20 when he got the offer, after winning the Formula Renault 3.5 series in 2014, is the senior partner, in terms of age: his teammate was 17 at the start of the year.

Sainz Jr says the events did not surprise him. “I still felt very young and I am still one of the youngest ever in Formula One. It did not change my approach at all.”

He has shown consistency in his first season in F1. He has not had the eye-catching results of Verstappen, who twice has finished fourth, but Sainz Jr has finished in the points seven times, with his best result coming in the United States, when he finished seventh after starting last.

“It has been a good season and I have enjoyed it,” he says. “We have been competitive and I think there is more to come, for sure.”

If Sainz Jr sounds matter-of-fact on dealing with the rigours of F1, it is because he has a good place to go for support, to his father.

Carlos Sainz Sr won the World Rally Championship drivers’ title twice during a notable rallying career, and he has been a regular presence at F1 races in support of his son.

Of his father’s role, Sainz Jr says: “I have received a lot of advice from my dad, especially in terms of attitude and how to approach circumstances, and without him I probably would not be here.”

As to whether he had any temptation to follow in his father’s footsteps and choose rallying as his competition, he says: “Rally was always in my mind but it was never an option.”

He concedes he has driven a rally car. “Yes, but it was very late, when I was already in Formula 3, that I tried my first rally car,” he says.

“I enjoyed it a lot and I got massive respect for rallying and I did think that one day I would like to do a rally, but only as a hobby as my career was already decided.”

Fans can be assured that Sainz Jr’s motorsport focus is purely on F1 in the long term, continuing this weekend at Yas Marina Circuit.

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