Who is F1 driver Carlos Sainz’s girlfriend, Rebecca Donaldson? The Scottish model, who has appeared in a Ferrari ad, began dating Williams’ new signing in 2023 – but are they planning to marry?

Apr 6 , 2025

Who is F1 driver Carlos Sainz’s Scottish model girlfriend, Rebecca Donaldson? Photo: @iamrebeccad/Instagram

Donaldson frequently sits front row at fashion weeks and makes stylish appearances in the F1 paddock to support Sainz; alongside modelling, she started an activewear brand during the pandemic

Formula One driver Carlos Sainz Jr is slowly adjusting to life at his new team, Williams, after being famously ousted from his seat at Ferrari by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.

Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz during Formula One pre-season testing in Bahrain in February. Photo: AFP

His first race weekend with Williams at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in mid-March had flashes of potential, but came to an unceremonious end when he crashed after his car experienced a “massive power surge”. On hand to console him were his glamorous girlfriend Rebecca Donaldson and his father, quadruple Dakar Rally winner Carlos Sainz Sr.

Before the race in Melbourne, the senior Sainz hinted to the media about his son’s relationship and potential plans. Asked whether his son and Donaldson would marry, Sainz Sr said, “Well, I think getting married and starting a family is a very difficult decision for everyone. You have to think about it. You have to choose who will be the mother of your children. You have to meditate on it.” Donaldson walked into Melbourne’s Albert Park Circuit with Sainz Sr on the Saturday of the race weekend, adding fuel to the marriage rumours.

But who is Rebecca Donaldson?

She’s a model

Donaldson, 29, was born on July 24, 1995. She’s from the historic town of Scone, in the Scottish region of Perth and Kinross, and attended the prestigious Perth Academy.

She became a model at 17 after she won a modelling competition. “My mum entered me and I was really surprised when I found out,” she told the Daily Record in 2022. “We had to go to rehearsal to practise catwalk-type dances before going in front of four judges at the Gardyne Theatre in Dundee.”

Since then, Donaldson has made a name for herself in the industry, appearing on the covers of magazines including Elle, Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. She’s also a regular on the front row during the major fashion weeks – most recently, she attended Dior’s autumn/winter 2025 show in Paris.

She founded an activewear brand

Fame and celebrity

Formula One (F1)

Sex and relationships

Britain

Fashion

Dior

Get to Know

Lewis Hamilton

Gayatri Bhaumik

Always ready for her next adventure, Gayatri took her first flight at 10 days old and hasn’t looked back since. After long stints in Bangkok, Melbourne and London, she is now based in Hong Kong and contributes to a range of publications including Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia, Prestige, The Hotel Journal, Jetsetter, Asia Pacific Boating and Time Out Hong Kong. She also runs The Wordsmith's Ink, an agency offering content writing services for clients like Shangri-La Hotels, New World Development, and Cushman + Wakefield.

/ READ MORE /