Carlos Sainz and his girlfriend Rebecca Donaldson's kind gesture makes a fan's birthday special

Following last weekend's hectic season opener, which included rain, safety cars, and dramatic crashes, Carlos Sainz and his girlfriend Rebecca Donaldson decided to remain in Melbourne. After the thrilling Australian Grand Prix, they used the time to relax before travelling to China for the second round. Before boarding a flight to Shanghai, Sainz and Donaldson visited the city and sampled some different foods.  

On Monday, Donaldson also posted several stories along with images of the various foods they had photos on her Instagram feed. At one of the restaurants they went to during this time, they also had the opportunity to add even more personal touches to a fan's birthday. When Charli Matravers saw Donaldson and the Williams driver, she was celebrating her 21st birthday.

Along with his racing number, 55, Carlos Sainz wrote "Happy birthday" on a piece of paper. This gesture would have been quite meaningful to Charli, who is a huge fan of Sainz.   The girl shared the photo on Instagram after he and Donaldson sat down with her to take it.   As Charli reflected on her unforgettable meet-up with the four-time Grand Prix champion, “I’m never recovering from this. Best 21st birthday present ever,” he wrote.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Charli Matravers (@charlimatravers)

Debut to forgot for Carlos Saniz

Personally for Carlos Saniz, who made his debut at Williams Racing, the first season of F1 2025 did not go well. During the first lap of the Australian Grand Prix, Carlos Saina crashed his car and was out of the race. However, his teammate Alex Albon finished in fifth as the team managed to get ten points.   Sainz joined Williams following four years with Ferrari, where he was replaced by seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.

James Vowles efforts helped, Sainz decide to join the Grove team even though there were several spots available for 2025.   As he prepares for this weekend's inaugural sprint race weekend in China, the former Ferrari driver will have already moved past Australia.