Sitges
—  Municipality  —
Sitges (Catalonia)
Flag Coat of arms
Sitges Location of Sitges within Catalonia
Sitges Location of Sitges within Spain
Coordinates: 41°14′2″N 1°48′15″E / 41.23389°N 1.80417°E / 41.23389; 1.80417Coordinates: 41°14′2″N 1°48′15″E / 41.23389°N 1.80417°E / 41.23389; 1.80417
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Catalonia
Province	Barcelona
Comarca	Garraf
Judicial district	Villanueva y Geltrú
Government
• Alcalde	Jordi Baijet i Vidal (2007) (Socialists' Party of Catalonia)
Area
• Total	43.85 km2 (16.93 sq mi)
Elevation	10 m (30 ft)
Population (2009)
• Total	27,668
• Density	630/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Demonym	Sitgetans
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	08870
Dialing code	93
Official languages	Spanish Catalan
Website	Official website

Sitges (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈsidʒəs], Catalan for silos) is a Spanish town about 35 kilometres southwest of Barcelona, renowned worldwide for its Film Festival and Carnival. Located between the Garraf Massif and the sea, it is known for its beaches, nightspots, and historical sites.

While the roots of Sitges' artsy reputation date back to the late 19th century, when Catalan painter Santiago Rusiñol took up residence there during the summer, the town became a centre for the 1960s counterculture in mainland Spain, then still under the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, and became known as "Ibiza in miniature".

Nowadays it is a popular destination for gay and lesbian travellers, as it has become one of the most gay-friendly places in the world.^{[citation needed]}

Today, Sitges' economy is based on tourism and culture offering more than 4,500 hotel beds, half of them in four-star hotels.

Almost 35% of the approximately 26,000 permanent inhabitants are from the Netherlands, the UK, France and Scandinavia, whose children attend international schools in the area. There are 17 beaches. Sitges was also the site of the annual Bilderberg conference held in June 2010.

Real estate[link]

Sitges has been referred to as the Saint-Tropez of Spain,^[1] with property prices approaching those of the most expensive European cities, the main reason for this being the setting by the sea and the surrounding Parc Natural del Garraf. Proximity to Barcelona International Airport is also a major advantage.

History[link]

Human presence in the area dates to at least the Neolithic area, and an Iberian settlement from the 4th century. In the 1st century BC it included two separated villages, later absorbed by the Romans.

During the Middle Ages, a castle was built in Sitges, owned by the bishopric of Barcelona, which later ceded it to count Mir Geribert (1041). In the 12th century the town fell under the rule of the Sitges family. The latter held it until 1308, when Agnes of Sitges sold the town to Bernat de Fonollar, after whose death it went to the Almoina family, to which it belonged until 1814.

In 1814 Facundo Bacardí, founder of the international rum brand Bacardi, was born in Sitges before emigrating to Cuba where he set up his company.

Sitges economy was mostly based on the production of wine until the economic boom of the 1960s, after which it became a tourist resort.

The Carnival[link]

For over a century, Sitges has been celebrating nonstop — between the months of February and March, according to the liturgical calendar — Carnestoltes, or Carnival.

The festivities begin on Dijous Gras, or Fat Thursday, with the arribo, King Carnestoltes’ spectacular arrival. From the moment this character appears until the burial of the sardine — late afternoon on Ash Wednesday — you could well say that life in Sitges moves to a new beat.

Folk dances and xatonades (traditional local salad served with assorted omelets) are also characteristic carnival elements. The two most important moments are the Rua de la Disbauxa, or the Debauchery Parade, on Sunday night and the Rua de l'Extermini, or Extermination Parade, on Tuesday night. Some forty-odd floats with more than 2,000 participants fill Sitges.

Main sights[link]

Small sculptures on the Maricel Museum Carrer d'en Bosch, a street in Sitges

17th century seaside church of Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla La Davallada street The main beach in May, in the background the church of Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla

• Church of Sant Bartolomeu i Santa Tecla (17th century). It houses two Gothic sepulchres (1317 and 1322), belonging to the an older church located on the same site. The baptistery has paintings from Pere Pruna, while the high altar has a Renaissance retablo (1499).
• Cau Ferrat Museum, the house-cum-studio of artist and writer Santiago Rusiñol, one of the leading figures of Catalan Modernisme.
• Palau Maricel built by the American Charles Deering to house his art collection in an attempt to copy the precedent set by Cau Ferrat. In 1921 Deering returned to the U.S. and the palace was emptied. In 1969 however, the building regained the use to which it had seemed destined since its creation, by welcoming a major private collection, mostly dedicated to medieval art.
• Museu Romàntic "Can Llopis", reproducing the lifestyle of a family of Catalan householders during the years of Romanticism.

Gastronomy[link]

Xató is Sitges' most typical dish. Its first recorded mention is in local newspaper Eco de Sitges report on Maundy Thursday, published on 16 February 1896. The report refers to a meal that three days before had gathered together a selected group of Catalan artists and intellectuals, including Santiago Rusiñol, Miquel Utrillo and Gaietà Buigas. The name “xató” comes from an expression pronounced years before by Canudas, a member of the Rusiñol's group.

The main ingredients of xató are endive salad, cod, tuna, anchovies, aubergine and black olives. However, the essence of the dish is its sauce, made with scalded chillies, toasted almonds, garlic, olive oil, salt, vinegar and hot peppers. The complete xató meal consists of some different omelettes or fricandó (a typical Catalan hot meal) and as a dessert, coca de llardons (typical Catalan cake, made from pork scratchings), served with a bottle of Penedès black wine.

Sitges cuisine includes many Catalan sailors' dishes such as rice Sitges style, stewed sepia with potatoes and allioli (Catalan garlic sauce), bull de tonyina (made with tuna fish), fideuada (similar to paella, but with noodles and seafood) or stuffed peppers with cod.

Malvasia is a delicate liquor wine served in Sitges, primarily with dessert. The name “malvasia” comes from the Peloponnesian port Monembasía. In Sitges, the Hospital Sant Joan Baptista continues producing and marketing malvasia according to the traditional method from its own vines and within its own cellars. The proceeds go to charity. The annual production is approximately 4,000 bottles.

Beaches[link]

Sitges has 17 sand beaches. Four of them are in the East: the first one called Les Botigues at the beginning of the coast, next to the beaches of Castelldefels and the other three are following the coast of Garraf (Road C-31). One of them is Garraf village beach.

There are eleven beaches in the town and two to its west, which are difficult to access.

All the eastern and urban beaches have flags indicating the state of the sea and most of them have quality diplomas and blue flags awarded by the European Union.

Sister cities[link]

• Bagnères-de-Luchon (France)

Motor racing[link]

Sitges is part of the long history of motor racing in Catalonia. From 1908–1920 events were staged over public roads from Sitges to Canyelles to Vilanova i la Geltrú, and from Mataro to Vilassar de Mar and Argentona. In 1922 and 1923 the Real Moto Club de Catalunya ran the Penya Rhin Grand Prix over a 9-mile circuit around the town of Vilafranca del Penedès until it was replaced by a short lived purpose built circuit, the banked Autodromo Sitges Terramar, which is still visible at 41°14′18.35″N 1°46′50.20″E / 41.2384306°N 1.780611°E / 41.2384306; 1.780611. Albert Divo won the only Spanish Grand Prix held at the banked 'Sitges Terramar' driving a Sunbeam.

See also[link]

• Sitges railway station
• Garraf (Sitges)

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sitges

• Official website of Sitges
• Tourism website of Sitges
• Tourism website with Sitges events in English
• Gay Sitges website
• Gay website of Sitges
• Gay Pride Sitges website
• Gay Map Sitges website
• Sitges Guide, Calendar & Directory (English)
• Sitgesonline, Hotels in Sitges (German, Catalan, Spanish, English, French)
• Practical guide of Sitges (Spanish)]
• The Best guide of Sitges (Spanish, German, Catalan, English, French)]

v t e Municipalities of Garraf Canyelles Cubelles Olivella Sant Pere de Ribes Sitges Vilanova i la Geltrú

Joe Pass
Joe Pass in 1975
Background information
Birth name	Joseph Anthony Jacobi Passalaqua
Born	(1929-01-13)January 13, 1929 New Brunswick, New Jersey
Died	May 23, 1994(1994-05-23) (aged 65) Los Angeles, California
Genres	Jazz, bebop
Occupations	Musician, composer
Instruments	Guitar
Years active	1943–1994
Labels	Concord, Pablo Pacific Jazz
Associated acts	Zack Charette

Joe Pass (born Joseph Anthony Jacobi Passalaqua, January 13, 1929 – May 23, 1994) was an Italian-American jazz guitarist of Sicilian descent. He is generally considered to be one of the greatest jazz guitarists of the 20th century.^[1][2] His extensive use of walking basslines, melodic counterpoint during improvisation, use of a chord-melody style of play and outstanding knowledge of chord inversions and progressions opened up new possibilities for jazz guitar and had a profound influence on future guitarists.

Early life[link]

Born in New Brunswick, New Jersey,^[3] Joe Pass, the son of Mariano Passalaqua, a Sicilian-born steel mill worker, was raised in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Born into a non-musical family, Pass started to play the guitar after being inspired by actor Gene Autry's portrayal of a guitar-playing cowboy. He received his first guitar, a Harmony model bought for $17, on his 9th birthday. Pass' father recognized early that his son had "a little something happening" and pushed him constantly to pick up tunes by ear, play pieces not written specifically for the instrument, practice scales and not to "leave any spaces" - that is, to fill in the sonic space between the notes of the melody.

As early as 14, Pass started getting gigs and was playing with bands fronted by Tony Pastor and Charlie Barnet, honing his guitar skills and learning the music business. He began traveling with small jazz groups and eventually moved from Pennsylvania to New York City. In a few years, he fell victim to drug abuse, and spent much of the 1950s in relative obscurity. Pass managed to emerge from it through a two-and-a-half-year stay at Synanon, drug rehabilitation program. During that time he played guitar non stop and further honed his skills. In 1962 he recorded The Sounds of Synanon.

Discovery and subsequent career[link]

Ella Fitzgerald and Joe Pass, 1974

Pass recorded a series of albums during the 1960s for the Pacific Jazz label, including the early classics Catch Me, 12-String Guitar, For Django, and Simplicity. In 1963, Pass received Downbeat magazine's "New Star Award". Pass was also featured on Pacific Jazz recordings by Gerald Wilson, Bud Shank, and Les McCann. Pass toured with George Shearing in 1965. Mostly, however, during the 1960s he did TV and recording session work in Los Angeles.

He was a sideman with Louis Bellson, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, Joe Williams, Della Reese, Johnny Mathis, and worked on TV shows including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Merv Griffin Show, The Steve Allen Show, and others. In the early 1970s, Pass and guitarist Herb Ellis were performing together regularly at Donte's jazz club in Los Angeles. This collaboration led to Pass and Ellis recording the very first album on the new Concord Jazz label, entitled simply Jazz/Concord (#CJS-1), along with bassist Ray Brown and drummer Jake Hanna. In the early 1970s, Pass also collaborated on a series of music books, and his Joe Pass Guitar Style (written with Bill Thrasher) is considered a leading improvisation textbook for students of jazz.

Norman Granz, the producer of Jazz at the Philharmonic and the founder of Verve Records signed Pass to Granz's new Pablo Records label in 1970. In 1974, Pass released his landmark solo album Virtuoso on Pablo Records. Also in 1974, Pablo Records released the album The Trio featuring Pass, Oscar Peterson, and Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen. At the Grammy Awards of 1975, The Trio won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Performance by a Group. As part of the Pablo Records "stable," Pass also recorded with Benny Carter, Milt Jackson, Herb Ellis, Zoot Sims, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, and others.

Pass and Ella Fitzgerald recorded six albums together on Pablo Records, toward the end of Fitzgerald's career: Take Love Easy (1973), Fitzgerald and Pass... Again (1976), "Hamburg Duets - 1976" (1976), "Sophisticated Lady" (1975, 1983), Speak Love (1983), and Easy Living (1986).

In 1994, Joe Pass died from liver cancer in Los Angeles, California at the age of 65.

Speaking about Nuages: Live at Yoshi's, Volume 2, Jim Ferguson wrote: "The follow up to 1993's Joe Pass & Co. Live At Yoshi's, this release was colored by sad circumstances: both bassist Monty Budwig and Pass were stricken with fatal illnesses. Nevertheless, all concerned, including drummer Colin Bailey and second guitarist John Pisano, play up to their usual high levels.... Issued posthumously, this material is hardly sub-standard. Bristling with energy throughout, it helps document the final stages in the career of a player who, arguably, was the greatest mainstream guitarist since Wes Montgomery."^[4]

Legacy[link]

Joe Pass in concert 1974

In addition to his ensemble performances, the jazz community regards Joe Pass as an influential solo guitarist. New York Magazine said of him, "Joe Pass looks like somebody's uncle and plays guitar like nobody's business. He's called "the world's greatest" and often compared to Paganini for his virtuosity. There is a certain purity to his sound that makes him stand out easily from other first-rate jazz guitarists."^[2] His solo style was marked by an advanced linear technique, sophisticated harmonic sense, counterpoint between improvised lead lines, bass figures and chords, spontaneous modulations, and transitions from fast tempos to rubato passages. He would regularly add what he called "color tones" to his compositions, to give what he believed was a more sophisticated and "funkier" sound. He would often use melodic counterpoint during improvisation, move lines and chords chromatically or play melodies by solely shifting chords, and descending augmented arpeggios at the end of phrases.

Pass's early style (influenced by guitarist Django Reinhardt and saxophonist Charlie Parker), was marked by fast single-note lines and a flowing melodic sense. Pass had the unusual lifelong habit of breaking his guitar picks and playing only with the smaller part. As Pass made the transition from ensemble to solo guitar performance, he preferred to abandon the pick altogether, and play fingerstyle. He found this enabled him to execute his harmonic concepts more effectively. His series of solo albums, Virtuoso (volumes 1 through 4) are a demonstration of Pass's refined technique.

Joe Pass let some instrument manufacturers use his name, but he only used those instruments to fulfill its engagement against those brands, or as travelling ones. He really used to play a Gibson ES-175 guitar (mainly) and a guitar made for him by master luthier Jimmy D'Aquisto; for a time he also played a Fender Jaguar, a rather unusual choice of guitar for jazz (being associated more with surf music). Epiphone has produced an edition of the Emperor line of semi-acoustic guitar in his honour. Previously Ibanez had a Joe Pass model jazz guitar, as they continue to for influential jazz guitarists George Benson and Pat Metheny.

Discography[link]

Selected bibliography[link]

• Mel Bay Presents Joe Pass "Off the Record". Mel Bay, 1993. ISBN 1-56222-687-8
• Complete Joe Pass. Mel Bay, 2003. ISBN 0-7866-6747-8
• Miyakaku, Takao. Joe Pass. Tokyo: Seiunsha, 2000. ISBN 4-434-00455-7 (photograph collection)

References[link]

1. ^ Holder, Mitch (16 January 2006). The Jazz Guitar Stylings of Howard Roberts. Mel Bay Publications. p. 2. ISBN 978-0-7866-7409-1. http://books.google.com/books?id=D9GRIUU83C8C&pg=PA2. Retrieved 22 November 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b} New York Media, LLC (17 September 1979). New York Magazine. New York Media, LLC. p. 62. ISSN 00287369. http://books.google.com/books?id=--ACAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA62. Retrieved 23 November 2011. 
3. ^ "Joe Pass, 65, a Jazz Guitarist Who Performed With the Stars - New York Times". Nytimes.com. 1994-05-24. http://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/24/obituaries/joe-pass-65-a-jazz-guitarist-who-performed-with-the-stars.html. Retrieved 2011-09-16. 
4. ^ JazzTimes review of Nuages: Live at Yoshi's, Volume 2 (Joe Pass Quartet) by Jim Ferguson (retrieved 3 October 2011)

• Joe Pass Unedited article by Jim Ferguson

External links[link]

• Joe Pass guitar solo video (YouTube)
• Joe Pass
• Joe Pass guitar tab
• Joe Pass Memorial Hall

Miguel Molina González
Molina driving for Pons Racing in the Donington Park round of the 2007 Formula Renault 3.5 Series season
Nationality	Spanish
Born	(1989-02-17) February 17, 1989 (age 23) Girona (Spain)
2012 DTM
Debut season	2010
Current team	Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline
Car no.	22
Starts	21
Wins	0
Poles	2
Fastest laps	1
Best finish	10th in 2010
Previous series
2006–09 2009 2006 2005 2004	Formula Renault 3.5 Series Superleague Formula Spanish Formula Three Eurocup FR2.0 Spanish FJunior 1600

Miguel Molina González (born February 17, 1989 in Girona) is a professional racing driver from Spain. He is a member of the Circuit de Catalunya Young Drivers Programme.^[1]

Career[link]

Karting[link]

Like many racing drivers, Molina started his early motorsport career in karting, winning successive Spanish Cadet Championships in 1999 and 2000, as well as the Catalonian Junior Championship in 2001 and Spanish Junior Championship in 2003.

Early career[link]

In 2004, Molina began his single-seater career in the Spanish Formula Junior 1600 series, where he finished the season in 6th place. The following year he stepped up to the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 championship with Pons Racing, scoring three points to finish the season 28th overall. In 2006, he switched to the Spanish Formula Three Championship with the Racing Engineering team, taking one race win and a further five podium finishes to end the season 6th in the standings.

Formula Renault 3.5 Series[link]

Towards the end of 2006, Molina joined the Formula Renault 3.5 Series with GD Racing, competing in the final six races of the season, scoring a point in the final race of the season at Barcelona.

For 2007, Molina moved up to the series full time with Pons Racing, scoring two race wins (at Estoril and Barcelona) and two further podium places on his way to 7th in the final standings. In 2008 he once again competed in the championship, teaming up with fellow Spanish driver Álvaro Barba at Prema Powerteam.^[2] He claimed four podiums during the season, including race wins at the Nürburgring and Estoril, to finish 4th in the championship. After testing for Prema, Epsilon Euskadi and KTR during the off-season, Molina was signed by Ultimate Motorsport for the 2009 season.^[3] Despite the team pulling out of the final two rounds, Molina finished eighth in the championship.

Superleague Formula[link]

In June 2009, Molina made his debut in the Superleague Formula series, taking part in the opening round of the season at Magny-Cours for Al Ain.^[4] He finished the first race in ninth before taking fourth place in the second event.

DTM[link]

Molina made his DTM début at Hockenheim in 2010.

Molina will move from single-seaters to touring cars in 2010, joining the works Audi Sport Team Abt Sportsline squad in the DTM series, where he will race a 2008-spec Audi A4.^[5]

Racing record[link]

Career summary[link]

† - Team standings.

Complete Formula Renault 3.5 Series results[link]

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Superleague Formula[link]

(key)

Super Final Results[link]

Complete DTM results[link]

(key)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Site (Spanish)
• Career details from Driver Database

Carlos Sainz

Sainz interviewed before the 2009 Dakar Rally.
Personal information
Nationality	Spanish
Born	(1962-04-12) April 12, 1962 (age 50)
World Rally Championship record
Active years	1987–2005
Teams	Ford, Toyota, Lancia, Subaru, Citroën
Rallies	196
Championships	2 (1990, 1992)
Rally wins	26
Podiums	97
Stage wins	757[1]
Total points	1242
First rally	1987 Rally Portugal
First win	1990 Acropolis Rally
Last win	2004 Rally Argentina
Last rally	2005 Acropolis Rally

Carlos Sainz Cenamor (born April 12, 1962 in Madrid, Spain) is a Spanish rally driver. He won the World Rally Championship drivers' title with Toyota in 1990 and 1992, and finished runner-up four times. Constructors' world champions to have benefited from Sainz are Subaru (1995), Toyota (1999) and Citroën (2003, 2004 and 2005).

Nicknamed El Matador, Sainz holds the WRC record for most career starts. He was also the first driver not from Scandinavia or Finland to win the 1000 Lakes Rally in Finland, and finished the Swedish Rally second four times and third twice, in this case without ever breaking the trend. Besides WRC successes, he has won the Dakar Rally (2010), the Race of Champions (1997) and the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (1990). His co-drivers were Antonio Boto, Luís Moya and Marc Martí.

His son, Carlos Sainz, Jr., born in September 1994, won the 2009 Junior Monaco Kart Cup and began a professional formula racing career.

Career[link]

Ford (1987–88)[link]

Sainz began rallying in 1980, and won the Spanish Rally Championship with a Ford Sierra RS Cosworth in 1987 and 1988.^[2] He first appeared in the World Rally Championship with Ford during the 1987 season, finishing seventh at the Tour de Corse and eighth at the RAC Rally. The following season, he finished fifth twice; at the Tour de Corse and at the Rallye Sanremo. Sainz then left Ford to join the Toyota Team Europe, the Japanese marque's rallying arm operating in Cologne, Germany.

Toyota (1989–92)[link]

1992 Toyota Celica GT-Four Carlos Sainz Limited Edition

Despite all previous rallying Toyota Celicas having only ever looked a competitive prospect on highly specialized endurance rallies such as the Safari Rally, the new combination of Toyota and Sainz rapidly rose in competitiveness. In the 1989 season, Sainz started with four retirements but then finished on the podium in three rallies in a row. His team-mate, by then two-time world champion Juha Kankkunen, also gave the Celica GT-Four ST165 its debut win at the inaugural Rally Australia. Sainz would almost certainly have won his first World Championship Rally on the final event of the season, the RAC Rally, but for mechanical failure in the final stages, which relegated him to second.

In the 1990 season, Sainz drove his GT-Four to victory at the Acropolis Rally, at the Rally New Zealand, at the 1000 Lakes Rally, as the first non-Nordic driver, and at the RAC Rally, claiming his first world drivers' title, ahead of Lancia's Didier Auriol and Kankkunen, ending the Italian marque's domination of the drivers' world championship since the advent of the Group A era of the sport in 1987.

In 1991, Sainz narrowly failed to defend his title against a resurgent Lancia-mounted Kankkunen, his efforts capped by a dramatic roll of his Celica in Australia which left him in a neckbrace. Both Sainz and Kankkunen took five wins, the first time in the history of the WRC that two drivers had managed such win tally during one season. Sainz led Kankkunen by one point going into the final round of the season, the RAC Rally, where Kankkunen took his third title by winning ahead of Kenneth Eriksson and Sainz. Kankkunen's and Sainz's point totals, 150 and 143, both broke the record set by Sainz a year earlier (140).

Aboard the new ST185 Toyota Celica in the 1992 season, in a year that would prove the last for the foreseeable future for Lancia, Sainz managed to score memorable victories on the Safari Rally and on his home asphalt round, the Rally Catalunya. The title fight again went down to the wire, and this time in a three-way battle; before the RAC, Sainz led Kankkunen by two points and Auriol, who had taken a record six wins during the season, by three points. Sainz's victory ahead of Ari Vatanen and Kankkunen, combined with Auriol's retirement, confirmed the title in favour of the Spaniard.

A limited number of 440 Celica GT-Four ST185s, carrying his name on a plaque in the vehicle, and with decals on the outside, were sold in the United Kingdom in 1992 in an attempt to capitalise on Sainz's two championship successes with the works team. These were the part of the 5,000 units of ST185 for WRC homologation. It is said that Sainz still keeps a Celica GT-Four given to him by Toyota, which he drives to Real Madrid games at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.

Lancia (1993)[link]

A Replica of an ex-Sainz Lancia Delta HF Integrale during Lancia centenary celebrations in Turin.

Such success, however, failed to coerce Sainz into staying with Toyota for the 1993 season. Instead, he moved to the private but Lancia-backed Jolly Club team. Although Lancia had won the previous year's manufacturers' title the Delta was an ageing design, and with minimal development work during the season it lost ground to newer cars. Sainz's only podium finish was his second place at the Acropolis Rally. He finished second on the San Remo Rally, but he and his team-mate were later disqualified for using illegal fuel. He finished eighth in the drivers' championship. Meanwhile, Lancia's factory team refugees Kankkunen and Auriol switched in the other direction to take his place at Toyota Team Europe, resulting in a title double for Toyota and Kankkunen.

Subaru (1994–95)[link]

Sainz then chose to drive for the then fledgling Subaru World Rally Team in 1994, where he replaced Ari Vatanen. Sainz's experience, perfectionism and abilities as a development driver played a vital role in developing the then-new Impreza to the point where it could mount a sustained challenge to Toyota and Ford. Indeed, in the hands of Sainz and Colin McRae the Subarus were frequently faster than the Fords during the season. Toyota won the manufacturers' title, but the drivers' championship was only settled on the final round, with Didier Auriol winning ahead of Sainz. In the 1995 season, he won the Monte Carlo Rally, the Rally Portugal and the Rally Catalunya. At this latter event he was trailing his team-mate Colin McRae until the team ordered the Scotsman to slow down and allow Sainz to win, which led to a dispute between the drivers. Nevertheless, they were tied for the lead in the drivers' world championship going into the season-ending RAC Rally. McRae won his home event 36 seconds ahead of Sainz, despite losing time with mechanical difficulties that at one stage had put him two minutes behind. Subaru secured their first manufacturers' title with a triple win as the team's second young Briton, Richard Burns, finished third. Sainz was later to join McRae at both Ford and Citroën.

Ford (1996–97)[link]

Sainz driving an Escort RS Cosworth at the 1996 1000 Lakes.

Sainz responded by rejoining Ford for the 1996 season. He spent two seasons with the squad, aboard the Ford Escort RS Cosworth and latterly, the Escort World Rally Car. In 1996, he won the inaugural Rally Indonesia and with five other podium finishes to his name, he took third place in the drivers' world championship, behind Mitsubishi's Tommi Mäkinen and Subaru's McRae. In the 1997 season, he again won the Indonesian round, along with the Acropolis Rally, but again lost the title fight to Mäkinen and McRae. However, he won the Race of Champions at the end of 1997.

Toyota (1998–99)[link]

Sainz with a Toyota Corolla WRC at the 1999 Monte Carlo Rally.

Sainz then departed, once again, for Toyota, partnering Didier Auriol and helping to further the Corolla World Rally Car project that had been instituted in 1997, as part of the Cologne recovery from the embarrassment of exclusion from the world championship on the penultimate round of the 1995 season.

Sainz won on his first outing for them, on the 1998 season opener Monte Carlo Rally, and later in the season, added a victory in New Zealand. The seemingly terminal blow to title rival Tommi Mäkinen's chances was his retirement on the first day of the final event of the year, the Rally Great Britain, which gave the initiative to Sainz, who now only had to finish fourth in order to ensure the title. However, just 500 metres from the finish of the very last stage, he too was forced to retire with a mechanical problem. As a result, both Sainz and Toyota gifted their respective titles to rivals Mäkinen and Mitsubishi Ralliart.

An ex-Sainz Corolla WRC at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show.

A subdued season followed for Sainz in 1999, although it did at least culminate in a departing manufacturers' title for Toyota, by now fostering alternative interests in Formula One. Sainz took a total of eight podiums, but no wins, and finished fifth in the drivers' standings, behind his third-placed team-mate Auriol who had taken his only win of the season at the inaugural China Rally.

Ford (2000–02)[link]

Sainz driving his Ford Focus WRC at the 2001 Rally Finland.

This was the precursor of another, three year stint with Ford, again alongside McRae, beginning with the 2000 season. He won the inaugural edition of the Cyprus round of the world championship, and finished third in the drivers' points standings.

Sainz failed to score a victory on any rally during the 2001 season, but with five podiums and four other point-scoring finishes, he managed to keep himself in the title fight throughout the very closely contested season, eventually finishing sixth in the standings, only eleven points adrift of the champion, Subaru's Richard Burns. Meanwhile, team-mate McRae took three wins and led the championship before the season-ending Rally GB, where he crashed out. Ford also lost the manufacturers' title to Peugeot.

In 2002, Sainz inherited the victory of the Rally Argentina, having provisionally finished third, by virtue of the disqualifications of the two leading Peugeots of Marcus Grönholm and Burns. This was his only win of the season, and in a close fight for the second place in the drivers' championship, behind the dominant Grönholm, Sainz finished third, one point ahead of his team-mate McRae.

Citroën (2003–05)[link]

Sainz with a Citroën Xsara WRC at the 2004 Rally Finland.

Effectively frozen out along with McRae at Ford, he along with the Scot moved to Citroën for the 2003 and 2004 seasons, with whom he was to score his final world rally victory at the 2004 Rally Argentina. Despite formally retiring at the end of the 2004 season, with a possible view to moving into the World Touring Car Championship, he was to actually find himself invited back to the WRC fold on the request of Citroën, to replace the faltering Belgian driver François Duval. Although Duval was soon to reclaim his seat, Sainz's two rallies back in the Citroën impressed many, with the now 43-year-old Spaniard posting fourth and third finishing positions respectively.

Later career[link]

2006 saw a first participation for Sainz at the wheel of a Volkswagen in that year's Dakar Rally, sharing the cockpit with the two times winner of the Dakar Rally, Andreas Schulz. In 2007, he repeated his attempt with Volkswagen, this time with French Michel Perin, also a former winner of the raid. Following the resignation of Fernando Martin, he even ran, eventually in vain, for the vice-president position at his beloved football club Real Madrid C.F., for which he once trained. In 2007 Sainz won the Cross-Country Rally World Cup with the Volkswagen team. In 2008, he won the Central European Rally.^[3] In January 2009, partnering again with Perin, he led the Dakar Rally until crashing out on the 12th stage.^[4] Later in 2009 Sainz won Silk Way Rally with Volkswagen team.^[5] At the 2010 Dakar Rally, Sainz changed again co-pilot, teaming with the also Spanish Lucas Cruz. Sainz edged out teammate Nasser Al-Attiyah to take his maiden win in the event.^[6] In 2010 Sainz also won the Silk Way Rally for the second time. In 2011 Dakar Rally Sainz finished 3rd.

Volkswagen's WRC project[link]

As Volkswagen announced its WRC entry for 2013, Sainz was announced to be part of the WRC project. Volkswagen's motorsport director Kris Nissen told that he needed "10 seconds" to convince Sainz to remain part of the company's efforts in the new programme. Nissen told that the team would need Sainz for some testing of the new car.^[7] In November 2011, Sainz had the honour to drive first kilometres with the new Volkswagen Polo R WRC near Trier, Germany, when the team began testing the new car.^[8] Late 2011, Nissen also revealed he would like to see Sainz taking part in some rally with the WRC Polo before he calls time on his career.^[9] Early 2012 Sainz drove Polo WRC in its maiden gravel test in Spain with Sébastien Ogier.^[10] In March 2012, Sainz was inducted into the Rally Hall of Fame along with Michèle Mouton.^[11]

Decorations[link]

• Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Sporting Merit^[12]

Titles[link]

Sainz driving a Volkswagen Race Touareg during the 2007 Dakar Rally.

WRC victories[link]

#	Event	Season	Co-driver	Car
1	37th Acropolis Rally	1990	Luís Moya	Toyota Celica GT-Four
2	20th Rothmans Rally of New Zealand	1990	Luís Moya	Toyota Celica GT-Four
3	40th 1000 Lakes Rally	1990	Luís Moya	Toyota Celica GT-Four
4	46th Lombard RAC Rally	1990	Luís Moya	Toyota Celica GT-Four
5	59ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo	1991	Luís Moya	Toyota Celica GT-Four
6	25º Rallye de Portugal	1991	Luís Moya	Toyota Celica GT-Four
7	35ème Tour de Corse - Rallye de France	1991	Luís Moya	Toyota Celica GT-Four
8	21nd Rothmans Rally of New Zealand	1991	Luís Moya	Toyota Celica GT-Four
9	11º Rally Argentina	1991	Luís Moya	Toyota Celica GT-Four
10	40th Martini Safari Rally Kenya	1992	Luís Moya	Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
11	22nd Rothmans Rally of New Zealand	1992	Luís Moya	Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
12	28º Rallye Catalunya-Costa Brava (Rallye de España)	1992	Luís Moya	Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
13	48th Lombard RAC Rally	1992	Luís Moya	Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD
14	41st Acropolis Rally	1994	Luís Moya	Subaru Impreza 555
15	63ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo	1995	Luís Moya	Subaru Impreza 555
16	29º TAP Rallye de Portugal	1995	Luís Moya	Subaru Impreza 555
17	31º Rallye Catalunya-Costa Brava (Rallye de España)	1995	Luís Moya	Subaru Impreza 555
18	21st Bank Utama Rally Indonesia	1996	Luís Moya	Ford Escort RS Cosworth
19	44th Acropolis Rally of Greece	1997	Luís Moya	Ford Escort WRC
20	22nd Rally Indonesia	1997	Luís Moya	Ford Escort WRC
21	66ème Rallye Automobile de Monte-Carlo	1998	Luís Moya	Toyota Corolla WRC
22	28th Rally New Zealand	1998	Luís Moya	Toyota Corolla WRC
23	28th Cyprus Rally	2000	Luís Moya	Ford Focus WRC
24	22º Rally Argentina	2002	Luís Moya	Ford Focus WRC
25	4th Rally of Turkey	2003	Marc Martí	Citroën Xsara WRC
26	24º Rally Argentina	2004	Marc Martí	Citroën Xsara WRC

Complete WRC results[link]