Carlos Sainz Sr., father of Ferrari driver, makes history by winning Dakar Rally at 61

Veteran Spanish driver Carlos Sainz won the gruelling Dakar Rally for a fourth time on Friday, becoming the oldest winner of the race at 61. The two-time world rally champion known as ‘El Matador’ had been all but guaranteed success when closest rival Sebastien Loeb was stranded in the desert for over an hour in Thursday’s penultimate stage.

On arriving, Sainz climbed out of his Audi car and jumped into the arms of his son, Ferrari Formula One driver Carlos Sainz Jr.

Sainz had led since the sixth stage and, aided by his fellow Audi drivers Sweden’s Mattias Ekstrom and France’s ‘Mr Dakar’, 14-time champion Stephane Peterhansel, controlled the race from then on.

He finished more than an hour ahead of Belgian debutant Guillaume De Mevius (Toyota) with nine-time world rally champion Loeb (Prodrive) third, slipping a place from his two successive runners-up spots.

Sainz delivered German outfit Audi their first Dakar title.

Carlos Sainz Sr. won his 4th Dakar and Carlos was right there on the finish line waiting for him