The Ford Raptor T1+ debuted last July as The Blue Oval’s purpose-built off-road racer that cradles the tough and versatile 5.0L Coyote. After a first season of learning, engineers refined the truck and handed it back to drivers to put through its paces. Among them is Carlos Sainz Sr., who showed just how well he knows the machine by scaring the life out by putting his son, Formula 1’s Carlos Sainz, in the passenger seat.
Carlos Sr. tries to settle Carlos Jr.’s nerves before they slide into the spartan cockpit of the Ford Raptor T1+. “Carlos, I know a little bit about tires,” Sr. says, but it does little to comfort Jr., who admits that he’s “sh**ting himself” over the prospect of riding with his dad. Not one to back down from a challenge with four wheels and a lot of speed, Carlos Jr. straps in anyway, and then, it’s on.
Carlos Sr. gets right down to business. He loosens the reins of the Ford Raptor T1+, letting it stretch out and take the course at full speed, rooster tail of dust and dirt fanning out behind it. Jostled in the passenger’s seat, Carlos Jr. spends the ride cussing and bracing himself, but it’s clear that there’s a part of him – even if it’s a bit small – that enjoys seeing this side of motorsport.
“We were sliding, and I could see a massive stone coming towards me, and we just missed it by this much, and I said, ‘Did you see that?'” Carlos Jr. says, recounting his wild ride with his father. “The codriving is tough.”
Then, it’s time to swap seats. Jr. settles behind the wheel while Sr. takes up post as codriver. He calls out obstacles to his son as they fly across the course, telling him to stand on the gas as the Ford Raptor T1+ gets out from under him. All ends well, though, and Carlos Jr. admits that he prefers driving to codriving. It’s a far cry from F1 – but who knows, maybe Jr. has a career in off-road racing after he hangs up his F1 helmet.
Changes to the passenger's seat, but not the driver's.
It appeared in a movie and a TV series.
A cool combo with a unique history.
