Carlos Sainz has urged caution to his fans, warning them that top-five results will be off limits in his first Williams season.

That verdict comes after the Spaniard turned heads by setting the fastest time of F1 2025 pre-season testing in Bahrain.

Carlos Sainz urges fans ‘don’t get too motivated’

After being forced to make way at Ferrari for the arrival of seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton, Sainz found a new home on the grid with Williams, penning a multi-year deal.

With opportunities failing to open up at Red Bull and Mercedes, Sainz – a winner of two grands prix in 2024 and four overall – is expected to be absent for that victory scene in F1 2025, racing with a Williams team very much focusing on nailing the new chassis and engine regulations coming for F1 2026.

That being said, Sainz sparked talk about how much pace may actually be in that Williams FW47 after setting the highlight time of testing, his 1:29.348 just 0.169s off Max Verstappen’s pole time in Bahrain last season.

But, Sainz wants his fans to keep their expectations in check.

“I’m sure you’re not going to see me on the podium or in the top five this year, so don’t get too motivated,” he is quoted by Marca as having said in a message to his supporters.

“But at least make sure you know that I didn’t come to Williams to hang out, to let the years go by, to be in the middle of the grid. If I came to Williams, it’s to take this team forward and I’m confident that I can do it.

“And that yesterday’s first at least serves to let people see that I’m coming for it, let’s go for it.”

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For the first time since 2019, the latest season of F1 action will begin in Melbourne, with the Australian Grand Prix kicking-off proceedings on March 16.

And looking ahead to his Williams debut, Sainz was asked for his goal for that race.

“Points,” he confirmed, “I think points have to be our target at the beginning of the season.

“I said it at the presentation of the car, I think the rest is asking too much.”

It is in race conditions where Sainz believes he can offer the most value to Williams in taking the team forward, as we approach the new era from F1 2026.

“I think when you look at the middle of the grid last year, we [Ferrari] weren’t that far off a Haas, a Williams, in some qualifying sessions, they were quite close at times,” said Sainz, “Q1 was impressive, we were all within half a second or seven-tenths.

“And my contribution comes more in race pace, because then the gap opens up a lot, you lose a second a lap, you degrade more, and that’s where I think I can contribute a bit more and help the team to try and improve the race pace.”

Sainz partners Alex Albon at Williams, who is heading into his fourth season with the team.

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