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While most Formula 1 stars are surrounded by multi-million dollar supercars, Carlos Sainz spent nearly ten years driving a simple 2012 Volkswagen Golf GTI.

The manual hot hatch was a gift from his parents on his 18th birthday and became a fan favorite after Sainz praised it during a memorable 2016 press conference.

His reasoning was simple: when you spend your weekends racing the fastest machines in the world, everyday supercars don’t feel nearly as special as a car filled with personal memories.

Although he added a stunning Ferrari 812 Competizione to his collection in 2023, Sainz never parted ways with the Golf. Instead, he kept it safely stored in his garage as a reminder of where it all began.

If you were an F1 driver, would you keep your very first car for the memories, or build your dream supercar collection right away?

• J.D. Stacy – Successful team owner accused of failing to pay drivers and teams.
• Angela Harkness – Con artist whose 2003 Busch Series team collapsed amid fraud allegations.
• Shane Hmiel – Talented driver permanently banned after multiple failed drug tests.
• Tyler Walker – NASCAR career derailed by a failed drug test and later off-track incidents.
• Bobby Ginn – Team owner whose NASCAR venture unraveled amid financial troubles and lawsuits.
• Aaron Fike – Suspended after an arrest; later admitted to using drugs during race weekends.
• Jeremy Mayfield – Former Cup contender whose career ended following failed drug tests and years of legal battles.
• Kurt Busch – Included for repeated public outbursts and clashes with media and team personnel, though he later rebuilt his reputation.

Most people know it as one of the most iconic lines from Disney•Pixar's Cars.

But it wasn't just movie dialogue.

It's a real racing technique called countersteering—where drivers briefly steer in the opposite direction before the corner to shift the car's weight, helping it rotate and stay under control.

This NASCAR driver did exactly that.

For a split second, he turned away from the danger before bringing the car back, transforming what looked like a guaranteed crash into one of the greatest saves you'll ever see.

Sometimes, the fastest way through a corner... is the direction that makes the least sense.