Sainz follows Verstappen and Alonso with post-F1 Le Mans ambition

Carlos Sainz, the Williams racing driver, has shared his aspirations to compete beyond Formula 1, specifically targeting the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. This interest in endurance racing has grown among F1 drivers following Max Verstappen's performance at the Nurburgring, where Verstappen, driving for Verstappen Racing, made his debut in the 24-hour race in May after several NLS (Night Lights Series) events in 2025 and 2026.

Verstappen, known for his desire to race at Le Mans, has repeatedly expressed his ambition to race at the iconic circuit, which he has won twice in 2018 and 2019. Fernando Alonso, currently with Aston Martin, has also discussed the possibility of returning to Le Mans with Verstappen, while Lando Norris, Sainz's former McLaren teammate, has hinted at a potential Le Mans run with McLaren in their upcoming hypercar project for 2027.

Sainz, speaking on Williams' Team Torque podcast, expressed his desire to be involved in another category in the next 10 to 15 years, stating his ambition to compete in the elite hypercar category. However, he also mentioned the appeal of forming a fun GT3 team with friends, adding that racing from a different perspective would be enjoyable, away from the pressures and responsibilities of modern F1 driving.

Former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner, on the other hand, believes Sainz should have received a harsher penalty during a recent incident, arguing that the FIA should have imposed a standard 10-second penalty instead of a reduced five-second sanction due to a software glitch.