Carlos Sainz will race for a third different team this decade when he takes to the track for Williams at the Australian Grand Prix next month.
The two teams he has raced for since 2020 are the two fastest teams in the sport now, including McLaren, who are the reigning constructors’ championship winners.
Sainz was dropped by Ferrari in favour of seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton for at least the next two seasons.
It left the Spaniard searching for a new drive, where he eventually settled on Williams, a team with a lot of promise for the future beyond the 2026 F1 regulations.
Jenson Button thinks everyone wants to see Sainz succeed at Williams as he attempts to lead them to victory – something they haven’t managed in 13 years.
After conducting his first run with the team, Sainz made a hilarious two-word complaint to Williams after taking to a very cold Silverstone track.
Lando Norris ‘lacked experience’ at McLaren alongside Carlos Sainz
When Sainz joined McLaren in 2019, he was relatively fresh-faced and was joined by a new rookie teammate for that season.
Lando Norris was eager to find his feet quickly and establish himself against someone with some experience and raw speed like Sainz.
READ MORE: Williams have done one thing to make their 2025 F1 car ‘easier’ to drive for Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon
His relative inexperience in the situation meant that the Spaniard had to take more of a lead in car development and direction, which he feels is something the Brit lacked at the time.
“I have always felt comfortable leading. I have always felt comfortable, especially when I am listened to and I see that in a team I am listened to and taken into account,” he said.
“I think one of my best versions as a driver was at McLaren. In that team, I had a rookie Lando [Norris] who was just as fast as I, but he lacked experience to lead the team in certain senses and that responsibility fell on me.”
How Lando Norris could become an F1 champion in 2025
After years of gradually making their way to the front, McLaren finally ended a 16-year drought by claiming a title in 2024.
It went all the way down to the wire, with Norris winning the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix over Sainz to bring the glory back to Woking.
It was the performance of a champion, as he remained strong under pressure and failed to crack when the stakes were at their highest.
READ MORE: Lando Norris tells Williams ‘exactly’ what Carlos Sainz will do to make them a ‘top’ F1 team
With Red Bull and Max Verstappen set to start this season a bit further behind than they began last year, there could be a major opportunity for Norris to pounce on.
He will be hunting a statement victory when Australia’s Melbourne track hosts the season-opener for the first time since 2019 in March.
