Carlos Sainz has confirmed that his move to Williams from the Ferrari team for the start of the 2025 season has provided him with exactly what he was looking for: a team that feels like a family and a project that is challenging him to grow.
Talking on the High Performance podcast, the Spaniard opened up about how quickly he’s been able to settle into this new environment.
The Grove outfit currently sits fifth in the constructors’ standings with 59 points after the first 12 races. This is a substantial improvement on the 2024 campaign, which saw the team finish ninth. Sainz’s team-mate Alex Albon leads Williams’ crusade so far, with 46 points to his name in the drivers’ standings.
Sainz, on the other hand, has collected only 13 points after a number of reliability issues plagued his races. But with the former Ferrari driver seemingly starting to get comfortable in the FW47, he’s feeling optimistic about his place in the championship.
Carlos Sainz, Williams
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / LAT Images via Getty Images
“I’m in a very happy place right now. I found in Williams – I found a race team and a family that is working towards I think a very challenging target, which is making Williams competitive again,” he said.
“If you would have told me a year ago that this is how life would turn out to be, I would actually be very happy,” he continued.
The end of 2024 saw Sainz replaced by Lewis Hamilton at the Scuderia. But while it looked like his Ferrari exit was one of the lowest points of his career, he’s bounced back with confidence thanks to the opportunity Williams provides.
“When I started discussing more in detail with James [Vowles], I realised that he had put together a very strong project here in Williams,” Sainz said previously. “He was forming a team, with a vision, with a project, together with [team owners] Dorilton, that I think is going to bring this team back to the front.
“[There is] very strong leadership and a vision that immediately made me, let’s say, fall in love with the project, and trust his leadership. Then I say people, but it’s part of the same thing.”
While he’s admitted the “workload is higher than with any other team,” Sainz is relishing the challenge of building a team alongside his team-mate and team principal Vowles.
“I enjoy that side of my job and I’m keen to see the results come through in the future,” he said.
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