Carlos Sainz has been tipped to be back behind the wheel on stages of the World Rally Championship for the first time in five years at next month's Rally Deutschland.
The Spaniard, who won this year's Dakar in a Volkswagen Race Touareg, will attend the German round of the WRC along with the German manufacturer to display the latest incarnation of the firm's off-road racer. In addition to that, Sainz could drive a zero car ahead of the main competing field during the event.
"Nothing is confirmed," said Sainz, "but I might be driving the Volkswagen Scirocco as zero car on the first day. It would be nice to see some of the WRC again. It would be interesting."
Sainz has not competed at rallying's highest level since he returned for two outings with the factory Citroen squad in 2005. He has competed on Rally Deutschland three times, his best result coming in 2004, when he finished third.
Sainz had briefly returned to the WRC fold as part of the initial working group for FIA president Jean Todt. But he now shares his time between his own Dakar program with Volkswagen and his son Carlos Sainz Jr.'s racing career. The Sainz family was at Silverstone last weekend, watching Sainz Jr. collect his first Formula BMW Europe race win. Predictably, Sainz was delighted with his 15-year-old son's success.
"He drove very well," said the double world champion. "He set the fastest lap, took pole position and the race win - it was a very good day for him. He is really enjoying his time racing and, of course, I am very happy for him."