Carlos Sainz has already begun work on embedding himself at Williams after leaving Ferrari for the 2025 season.
The Spaniard had an early outing with Williams when he took part in the Abu Dhabi post-season test, where he posted the second-quickest time behind former teammate Charles Leclerc.
Although test session times can’t be read into too much, Williams engineers were left impressed by Sainz and the impact he is set to make on the team as they try to improve their fortunes for 2025.
Sainz reported to their Grove-based factory in Oxfordshire, UK, for the first time in January, as all the pre-season work ramps up in F1.
Discussing what he wants to see from Sainz in 2025, team principal James Vowles laid out what he is ‘expecting’ to see from the Spaniard in an interview with Autosport after admitting that it could be a challenging year for the team.
James Vowles wants to see ‘leadership’ qualities from Carlos Sainz
Sainz will be an experienced hand for Williams having been competing in F1 since 2015, and the team mainly sees its opportunity to improve its fortunes with the big regulation chance in 2026.
Vowles is hopeful that Sainz can inject some leadership into his role and, along with Alex Albon, help align with their goals of recapturing the glory years in the future.
“They both know the challenges of ’25, but the real crux of it is looking forward to what we have in 2026 together. So what I’m expecting is insights into where we’re strong during the week to what I already believe and what Alex already believes,” said Vowles.
“What I’m expecting is leadership that with just a few words is able to lead the team in the right direction as we’re moving forward as an organisation. What I’m expecting is an individual that will give me everything when any given race begins, because we’re here to make this team successful.”
Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon to be a strong partnership
Williams will have one of the strongest driver lineups on the grid next year, as it takes two drivers who have both been rejected by top teams.
While it may look like they have picked up the unwanted scraps from Ferrari and Red Bull, both Albon and Sainz have proven they have what it takes to stand on the podium and convincingly win races.
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The pair had some on-track spats last year, notably at the Canadian Grand Prix but Sainz publicly apologised to Albon.
As the team plays the long game towards becoming successful again, the experience of both drivers will lay the important foundations while also keeping Williams’s crash damage bill low which reached the millions in 2024.
