The beginning of the 2025 Formula 1 season is still two months away, but teams and drivers are already preparing for the lights going out at Albert Park for the first race of the year.
Many drivers are entering new surroundings this month and Carlos Sainz is no exception.
Sainz has already been hard at work training during the winter, and after months of waiting has finally arrived at Williams to begin learning about his new team.
Team principal James Vowles may not expect to be in contention to challenge for victories in 2025 but is confident that he has one of the best driver line-ups on the grid.
A ninth-place finish in last year’s Constructors’ Championship is nothing to write home about, and while they won’t want to completely write off the 2025 campaign, next year is where Williams believe they can start to make real strides forward.
Sainz is the fourth different teammate Alex Albon has had at Williams but by far the most accomplished.
The Thai driver had no trouble seeing off Nicholas Latifi and Logan Sargeant and while Franco Colapinto proved to be a tougher challenger, he outscored the young Argentine during his nine-race stint at the back end of 2024 as well.
Sainz has shared with his followers on social media that he’s finally arrived at Williams’ factory ahead of pre-season beginning.
Albon had a welcoming message for the Spaniard and even made a cheeky nod to one of his well-known catchphrases.
Alex Albon welcomes Carlos Sainz to Williams ahead of his first visit to Grove
Posting on Instagram on Wednesday, Sainz said: “First day at Grove! @williamsracing”
The Williams account sent the 30-year-old a simple message, replying to his selfie outside the front of the factory and saying: “Vamos, Carlos!”
Albon was also very keen to welcome his new teammate and added: “Welcome to Grove, Carlos! Our coffee is extra smooth.”
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There was a point last season where another driver could have been racing alongside Albon this year.
Esteban Ocon held a secret meeting with Williams while still racing for Alpine but ended up joining Haas instead.
Carlos Sainz already proving his worth to Williams after Ferrari move
Sainz said an emotional goodbye to Ferrari after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix where the Scuderia narrowly missed out on winning the Constructors’ Championship.
However, less than 24 hours later, Sainz was already testing Williams’ 2024 F1 car for the first time.
Williams fans were impressed by Sainz’s feedback as soon as he got out of the car, asking to study his data and compare it with Colapinto’s.
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Sainz has a reputation for being very good at giving feedback and that will help Williams immensely as they look to close the gap to their midfield rivals.
Albon has been joined by inexperienced teammates throughout his time with the team, putting the emphasis on the Thai driver to develop the car with his experience.
The Spaniard has now arrived to share that burden and will want to prove that he’s the quicker of the two midfield stars as soon as they take to the track in Australia in March.
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