Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz were teammates for two resurgent seasons at McLaren back in 2019 and 2020.
They got on well with each other, but have been rivals ever since Sainz moved to Ferrari in 2021 and left his buddy behind.
McLaren won the Constructors’ title in 2024 with Norris, after playing catch up to their rivals (including Sainz and Ferrari) for several seasons.
Change is coming for 2025 though, as Sainz moves to Williams alongside Alex Albon to start a new project.
The Grove-based outfit have been a midfield operation at best for the last seven seasons, so it’s a mammoth task for the Spaniard to turn around after being dropped in favour of Lewis Hamilton.
However, he has helped to steer the ship in the right direction at two of the best teams in the sport currently – so he must be doing something right, which is especially exciting for Williams.
Lando Norris says Carlos Sainz’s experience is ‘exactly’ what Williams needs to make ‘big jump’
Sainz brings a value to Williams that their reserve driver Franco Colapinto couldn’t. He simply has more experience and knowledge at the top level of the sport.
A multiple-race winner this season, including a miraculous victory weeks on from appendicitis surgery at the Australian Grand Prix shows what kind of operator he is.
Guenther Steiner said that Williams had won the lottery signing Sainz and he may be right. His track record is excellent and he’s joining a team which has big ambitions.
READ MORE: James Vowles explains how Franco Colapinto has had the ‘biggest impact’ on Williams’ 2025 preparations
Ex-teammate Lando Norris believes that Sainz’s experience in a top team is exactly what will help move his new team in a positive direction.
“Williams has improved significantly,” he told Motorsport-total.com. “They didn’t have anyone with a lot of experience from a top team, and that’s exactly what Carlos brings and will take the team even further forward.
“So, I expect to still see him on the track. I’m sure Williams will make a good jump.”
What can Williams expect to achieve with Carlos Sainz in 2025?
2025 is as much about learning and experimenting for Sainz and Williams than it is anything else, as they prepare for a serious charge up the field in 2026.
A change in technical regulations normally shakes the field up and with some of the most drastic changes in the sport’s history, it could bring about positive change in Grove.
Sainz’s arrival has changed Williams’ focus for 2025, with the team in a position to push boundaries and maximise their potential.
READ MORE: James Vowles lauds the ‘tremendous’ thing Williams did off track in 2024 that left him emotional
Team boss James Vowles has been clear in his expectations for the upcoming season, insisting that their car begins to move forward courtesy of heavy investment in the team.
Their infrastructure, talent and aspirations match the top Formula 1 teams now. All they need to do is bring it together and deliver some results on track to prove that they can be a serious threat for years to come.
