Carlos Sainz will begin a new challenge in 2025 as he joins the struggling Williams outfit in a bid to lead them back to the front of Formula 1.
The Spaniard was dropped by Ferrari at the end of the 2024 season in favour of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.
After being linked with a seat at both Red Bull and Mercedes, Sainz opted to join the long-term Williams project under James Vowles.
Although they finished ninth in the constructors’ championship, heavy investments in infrastructure have them well-placed for more success heading into the 2026 F1 regulations.
Sainz is already tired of one question after his Williams move, where he has been asked on multiple occasions about how he feels moving away from a winning car.
From an external point of view, Jenson Button says ‘everyone’ wants to see Sainz succeed at Williams as they attempt to turn a new page in their history.
Carlos Sainz was ‘99% sure’ he would be driving for Ferrari in 2025 before Lewis Hamilton move
For a team which is leaning heavily towards the future, 2025 is a bit of a free pass for Sainz who can spend the year learning about Williams’ processes and operations.
They aren’t expected to deliver much before the new regulations and he won’t be forgotten about or blamed if they struggle to perform.
Williams have already done one thing to their 2025 F1 car to make it easier to drive by adopting Mercedes’ rear suspension.
READ MORE: Carlos Sainz’s hilarious two-word radio complaint after driving the Williams 2025 F1 car for the very first time
While this season could be tough, Sainz has revealed that he expected to be in a different place just days before Hamilton signed with the Scuderia.
“The fact that it was so unexpected, that it was not, I wouldn’t say hidden from me, it didn’t until the day before that or the week before that I was 99% sure I would continue in Ferrari,” he said.
That’s what made it tough. Once I thought about it, I digested it, I got on with it pretty quickly, and I just got on with my life, and look, here I am.”
Carlos Sainz already told Williams he’s struggling in one area after first test
The first and only pre-season test of the Formula 1 season kicks off in just under two weeks and will be held at Bahrain’s Sakhir Circuit between February 26-28.
It’s the only true representative track time that the teams and drivers get together before the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.
Sainz has already told Williams he’s struggling in one area with his new car, facing some difficulties in high-speed corners.
READ MORE: Carlos Sainz will love what James Vowles has just said about Williams’ F1 podium chances in 2025
Three sessions of running in the desert should help attack those issues, but they may have been track-dependent. He faced such issues at Silverstone on a cold winter’s day and it may have been a one-off.
By the time they arrive in Melbourne, Williams may even spring a surprise if Sainz’s skills can bring some extra performance to them. They have a potent driver line-up now.
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