Carlos always had motor racing in his blood, stepping into a kart at the age of 10, achieving notable success, including the 2009 KF3 Monaco Kart Cup victory and a runner-up finish in the 2009 KF3 Spanish Championship. At 16, he transitioned to single-seaters, debuting in Formula BMW Europe with a win and multiple podiums. He won the Formula Renault 2.0 NEC championship the following season and dominated in Formula Renault 3.5, clinching the title in his rookie year.
 
In 2015, Carlos joined Formula 1 with Scuderia Toro Rosso, showcasing impressive pace and strong race craft. After a stint with Renault, he moved to McLaren in 2019, achieving his first podium in Brazil and finishing sixth in the championship for two consecutive years. In 2022, he secured his first victory at the British Grand Prix and continued his success into 2023, winning the Singapore Grand Prix. In 2024, Carlos won the Australian Grand Prix and Mexico, finishing fifth in the championship with seven additional podiums.
 
In July 2024, Carlos announced that he would be joining Atlassian Williams Racing, committing his future to the team.