Carlos Sainz admits he was already planning on the right way to make Williams sooner by remembering the sensation of his Ferrari as he completed second on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The Spaniard can be changed by Lewis Hamilton subsequent yr and has agreed to affix Williams, the place as an alternative of competing for race wins, the preliminary problem can be to show the staff into one which scores factors frequently.
Sainz received two races in 2024 however, alongside Charles Leclerc, was unable to ship the constructors’ championship for Ferrari, which was crushed by McLaren by simply 14 factors.
Learn Additionally:
As Sainz aimed to catch race winner Lando Norris, he conceded that his thoughts had already began turning to the right way to enhance Williams when he arrives in Grove.
Requested if it was onerous to maneuver on so shortly, Sainz replied: “Being very sincere with you, I do not suppose so. I believe, I am not going to lie, my final laps, as a lot as I used to be pushing like hell for this staff and making an attempt to, I used to be already beginning to really feel issues within the automotive and making an attempt to say, ‘bear in mind how this feels’.
“As a result of tomorrow and Tuesday I would like to recollect, why is that this automotive fast on this nook and why does it really feel good? As a result of I do know in all probability what I will discover tomorrow, and Tuesday wants some margin of enchancment within the corners that I used to be feeling the automotive. So this simply sums up that I am already trying additionally forward.
“I am extraordinarily motivated for the problem that I’ve forward of me. In the present day is a day to try to take pleasure in as a lot as potential with the staff as my final day in purple.
“We nonetheless have some days in Maranello developing, however clearly my aggressive thoughts is already trying ahead to Monday and Tuesday and to see how I could make that Williams automotive sooner.”
Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Photos
Williams struggled on the again finish of the season, taking only one level from the ultimate six races of the yr and ending ninth within the standings with solely Sauber behind the staff.
Not since George Russell’s second place on the truncated 2021 Belgium Grand Prix has Williams had a driver on the rostrum, and Sainz admits he can not assure the subsequent time.
“That may be a query that I can not reply,” he added.
“It is not possible to foretell the long run, not possible to know the way lengthy it’ll take me and Williams to be again preventing for podium positions.
“I believe James [Vowles, Williams team principal] mentioned it the opposite day and calmed everybody’s expectations, that subsequent yr goes to be a tricky yr and a studying yr earlier than we put together for the change of laws in ‘26, the place I consider the staff is investing and the staff is getting ready to maximise that likelihood.
“What I can let you know is that I am as decided as ever to assist that staff to be again the place it belongs. I personally really feel like I belong to be preventing for wins, podiums and high fives in Components 1. I believe I’ve confirmed it these final 4 years as a driver. I believe I belong to that. However Williams can not overlook that Williams additionally belongs to preventing for these high 5 and podium locations.
“And along with the willpower and the energy that I believe we will present collectively, the goal is to get Williams and myself preventing for these positions within the close to future, within the nearest future. How lengthy that is going to take, I can not let you know.”
Pictures from Abu Dhabi GP Race
On this article
Mark Mann-Bryans
Components 1
Carlos Sainz
Ferrari
Williams
Be the primary to know and subscribe for real-time information e mail updates on these subjects
Subscribe to information alerts
