Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz has opened up about his close
friendship with cycling superstar Tadej Pogacar, fresh off the Slovenian’s
extraordinary end to 2025, a run that saw him win the World Championships, the
European Championships, and a fifth straight Il Lombardia in three consecutive
weekends. On each occasion, poor Remco Evenepoel was left to settle for second.
Sainz, now in his first season with Williams after four
years at Ferrari, told GP Blog that his bond with Pogacar has become one of his
most genuine connections since moving to Monaco. “Yes, of those of us who live
here in Monaco now, well, I’d say he’s one of my best friends right now, one of
the ones I see the most. We go out to dinner together a lot, we go cycling.”
The two have been spotted on café rides and coffee stops,
though Sainz admits the pace is more Pogačar than pedestrian. “I always say, we
don’t go cycling, he goes cycling with me, because it’s a different level of
cycling, and we go for coffee, we go for focaccia, and we catch up, we talk
about our sports. He’s a big follower of mine and of Formula 1, and we have a
great time, honestly.”
Their friendship has become a small but charming overlap
between the worlds of motorsport and cycling, both athletes bonded by a shared
respect for each other’s craft and mentality. Pogacar, now a double world
champion and five-time Il Lombardia winner, continues to redefine dominance in
his sport, Sainz, meanwhile, reached the podium at the recent Baku Grand Prix,
securing Williams’ first top-three finish since 2021.
“I admire him so much because he’s a super humble, super
approachable person,” Sainz added. “He’s a very down-to-earth guy, I don’t know
how to describe him. He’s one of the best athletes I’ve ever met, and having
the pleasure of being able to call him a friend now is incredible.”