Carlos Sainz’s return to the Formula 1 podium last weekend with Williams wasn’t just about an outstanding drive, strategy, or tyre management. In Baku, the Spaniard’s triumph was also about… a unicorn.
Sainz finished third behind Max Verstappen and George Russell, giving Williams their first top-three finish since 2021 – and their first in a proper, full-distance race since 2017.
But the real star of the weekend may well have been a mystery sticker slapped on the back of Sainz’s helmet.
In the cool-down room after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Verstappen couldn’t resist pointing out the new addition.
“You have a new mascot on the back of your helmet, Carlos?” the Red Bull driver asked.
“It’s a unicorn! A fan sent us this, I said I would wear it this weekend,” Sainz replied, before Verstappen delivered the obvious conclusion: “You have to keep it now!”
And just like that, the legend of Williams’ lucky charm unicorn began.
Sparkles or Sprinkles?
The sticker wasn’t just a random doodle from a merch pack. It came from a young fan who wrote into Williams’ “Call Carbono” series.
She asked Sainz a very serious question: should she name her toy unicorn Sparkles or Sprinkles? And, in case he needed extra motivation, she also asked him to wear a unicorn sticker on his helmet “for the rest of the year.”
Sainz didn’t choose between Sparkles and Sprinkles (who could, honestly?), but he did stay true to his word and carried the unicorn into battle around the streets of Baku.
The Team Joins In
Williams boss James Vowles wasn’t about to let the amusing mascot’s magic go unnoticed. In a post-race video, he cheekily pointed to the sticker now attached to the trophy.
“There’s one more thing that is actually quite special,” he said. “I’m pretty sure either Sparkles or Sprinkles had something to do with this as well at the same time. So, that’s staying, I assume, for a little while.”
Sainz didn’t argue. “Until the end of the year, for sure,” he confirmed.
Beyond the unicorn-themed fun, the result was a big deal for both Sainz and Williams. The Spaniard had endured a tough run since joining the team and hadn’t scored in the previous three races.
His third place not only lifted him from 18th to 12th in the Drivers’ standings but also gave Williams a firmer grip on fifth in the Constructors’ championship – now 29 points clear of Racing Bulls, who also scored big in Baku.
It turns out, sometimes all it takes to break a streak is a little bit of belief… and a the magic powers of a brightly colored unicorn.
Read also:
Sainz savors first Williams podium: ‘Best of my career’
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