CARLOS SAINZ has become embroiled in a racism controversy after the Formula One star’s family posted a Twitter video containing a blackface character.
The promotional clip was posted on the social media page for Carlos Sainz Karting, a go-karting organisation in Madrid.
The company is owned by Carlos Sainz Sr, the Ferrari star’s father who is also a legend on the rally scene.
There is no suggestion either Carlos Sr or Jr knew of the blackface video before it was posted under the family brand.
And the post was quickly deleted following a sharp social media backlash.
The clip featured the ‘Three Wise Men’ delivering gifts to the Carlos Sainz Karting headquarters during Christmas.
Two of the actors were dressed in beards and crowns, with another in blackface.
The tweet was captioned: “The Three Wise Men are here!
“Before getting down to work tonight, they made a stop at our karting track to have a few races and collect the gift boxes that we have prepared. Have you ordered yours yet?”
The decision to include a blackface character in the clip was widely derided.
Sainz, 26, has previously posted clips of himself racing around the Carlos Sainz Karting track.
The Spaniard, who moved from McLaren to Ferrari at the end of last season, was among those to decide against taking the knee during the 2020 F1 season.
Lewis Hamilton has led a campaign to demand more of the sport’s efforts to increase diversity.
Sainz has credited the Brit with forcing a ‘positive’ emphasis on racial awareness in F1.
While regularly wearing F1’s official ‘End Racism’ shirts before races, he has insisted he is ‘comfortable enough’ to do ‘what I thought was appropriate’ when it came to taking the knee.
