After four seasons of being associated with Ferrari’s iconic red racing overalls, Carlos Sainz has taken on a very different look during Formula 1’s post-season test in Abu Dhabi.
The Abu Dhabi Grand Prix nearly offered Carlos Sainz the perfect farewell from Ferrari.
Sainz had the opportunity to depart Ferrari as part of a team that won their first Constructors’ Championship in 16 seasons.
Despite Sainz finishing second and Charles Leclerc joining him on the podium, Lando Norris’ victory meant McLaren clinched their first team title this century.
When the chequered flag flew in Abu Dhabi, it brought Sainz’s time as a Ferrari driver to an end, with Lewis Hamilton arriving at Maranello in his place in the new year.
However, Sainz didn’t have long to mull over his four years with the Scuderia and was racing for new team Williams on Monday ahead of the 2024 F1 post-season test.
Carlos Sainz makes Williams debut after Ferrari exit
On Monday afternoon, Sainz took to the Abu Dhabi track for a solo run around the circuit before the official post-season test began.
Donning plain white overalls and a blank white helmet, Sainz got his first feel for the FW46.
Sainz admitted after the race that he was already thinking about his Williams debut before even taking the chequered flag for Ferrari.
Speaking to the press after the race, Sainz said: “I’m not going to lie, my last laps, as much as I was pushing like hell for this team and trying to, I was already starting to feel things in the car and trying to say, ‘remember how this feels’.
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“Because tomorrow and Tuesday I need to remember, why is this car quick in this corner and why does it feel good?
“Because I know probably what I’m going to find tomorrow, and Tuesday needs some margin of improvement in the corners that I was feeling the car. So this just sums up that I’m already looking also ahead.
“I’m extremely motivated for the challenge that I have ahead of me. Today is a day to try and enjoy as much as possible with the team as my last day in red.”
How did Carlos Sainz’s first Williams laps compare to his times at Ferrari?
A report from Motorsport has shared more details about Sainz’s first outing for his new team.
They report that on his first run, Sainz completed a total of seven laps, setting a best time of 1:26.484.
READ MORE: All to know about Williams Racing from team principal to Mercedes ties
While that time is never going to be representative of what Sainz can do, it was a long way off what he was capable of in qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Saturday.
Sainz put his car on P3 for the final race of the season, setting a quickest time of 1:22.824.
It’s a difference of 3.66 seconds, but even after a full day of running on Tuesday, Sainz’s best time is unlikely to match what he set in his Ferrari, as this isn’t the point of this test session.
Ferrari already moving on from Carlos Sainz but Lewis Hamilton is nowhere to be seen
Sainz admitted Ferrari had to replace him with Lewis Hamilton rather than Leclerc when the opportunity arose.
The seven-time world champion hasn’t had the easiest season but he will hope a move to Ferrari will reinvigorate his career and offer him a chance to win an eighth title off the back of the hard work Sainz has done to develop the car.
The Scuderia are also taking part in F1’s post-season test, but Hamilton hasn’t been released by Mercedes to run for Ferrari with his contract not technically ending until the end of the year.
Instead, Leclerc is taking part in the Pirelli tyre test with Antonio Fuoco running in the second Ferrari with every team forced to use a rookie driver.
Unfortunately, reserve driver Oliver Bearman isn’t eligible having raced in F1 three times in 2024.
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