Carlos Sainz Jr. and Williams F1 are ‘moving in the right direction’
Photo by Kym Illman/Getty Images Williams driver Carlos Sainz Jr. talked about life at a new team, and learning in a new environment, ahead of the Miami Grand Prix MIAMI, Florida — Williams has enjoyed a strong start to the 2025 Formula 1 season. A big reason for that, according to Alexander Albon, is just how narrow the gap is between himself and new teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. That narrow gap is due in part to Sainz’s ability to get up to speed quickly with his new team, and in a new car. Speaking with the media, including SB Nation, Thursday at Hard Rock Stadium Sainz indicated that he and the team are “moving in the right direction” after just five races. “Having had a couple of good weekends after a couple of bad ones, you need to learn how you apply the good things, and keep the good things, and make sure you keep working on the bad things,” said Sainz. “And I feel like this week [off] has helped us to understand that. I just had a bit of a catch-up with my engineers there, and yeah we seem to be moving in the right direction. Still, Sainz conceded that even though the team is moving in the right direction, there may be some additional “bumps” along the way. “I’ve told them, and I think I’ve said many times, that we still have a few bumps along the way in the adaptation process because it’s you need to discover a few things. “Five races is not enough to discover your strengths and weaknesses or things that may catch you by surprise, but I think we’re trending in the right direction and that’s the important thing.” Sainz also outlined for the media just how much adjustment is still underway, as he acclimates to life at Williams after driving for Ferrari for four seasons. “Every weekend I’m still trying something different with setup, and the last couple of weekends I seem to have just tried something that worked,” said Sainz. “If I keep applying this philosophy for sure at one point I will try something that doesn’t work and I need to revert, so I need more examples of that and probably maybe what worked in here that might not work in Miami and I need to learn that and have that experience. “And then with driving, for sure, I think there’s conditions that I haven’t been with with this car yet, tarmacs and curb usages and bumps that I haven’t experienced yet with this car.” Perhaps the most interesting comments from Sainz came when he talked about his transition to Williams, and the translation Lewis Hamilton — his replacement at Ferrari — is dealing with. Asked about Hamilton’s recent struggles, Sainz stated that they did not come as a surprise, given the big changes that a driver endures when switching teams. “I’m not surprised at all,” began Sainz. “For me, I expected it to myself and I expected it with him. “Because in this sport there’s no secrets and when you are up against two teammates that we are, like Alex and Charles [Leclerc] they know the team inside out. They are already performing at the maximum that that car can perform, so you can only do just a little bit better or the same as them. “You cannot suddenly arrive and be two or three times quicker because it’s not possible. “They are already at the limit of the car, so when you jump to a new team and you’re expected by yourself and by everyone around you to be at that level, you know, it’s going to take time and there’s no secret. “They know a lot more than you.” As with the situation at Ferrari, Sainz conceded that some patience might be needed for him at Williams as well. “It’s gonna take a bit of time and the sooner you make that process and the sooner you are at that level, the better,” added Sainz. “But for some drivers, it might take longer or shorter. Lewis had an amazing weekend in China. Then he seems to have a bit more trouble now, but it’s going to take time for a new driver to adjust. “It’s a tricky question because it depends how natural the car comes to you. Depends how natural the relationship with engineers and that blend that comes. How much time might this process take? It might bleed into 2026 according to Sainz. “I’ve always said that to know a car well. You need at least half a year or a year to experience everything with that car,” added Sainz. “That doesn’t mean that you cannot perform during that year. “If you can perform at 100% or 99%, and you’re 99% might still be pretty good. “But the 100% for sure there is. “There are things that you need for half a year I would say to experience.” Williams arrives in Miami with 25 points on the year, sitting fifth in the standings. Just imagine what that could look like once Sainz gets the time he is looking for to adjust.
Williams driver Carlos Sainz Jr. talked about life at a new team, and learning in a new environment, ahead of the Miami Grand Prix
MIAMI, Florida — Williams has enjoyed a strong start to the 2025 Formula 1 season.
A big reason for that, according to Alexander Albon, is just how narrow the gap is between himself and new teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. That narrow gap is due in part to Sainz’s ability to get up to speed quickly with his new team, and in a new car.
Speaking with the media, including SB Nation, Thursday at Hard Rock Stadium Sainz indicated that he and the team are “moving in the right direction” after just five races.
“Having had a couple of good weekends after a couple of bad ones, you need to learn how you apply the good things, and keep the good things, and make sure you keep working on the bad things,” said Sainz.
“And I feel like this week [off] has helped us to understand that. I just had a bit of a catch-up with my engineers there, and yeah we seem to be moving in the right direction.
Still, Sainz conceded that even though the team is moving in the right direction, there may be some additional “bumps” along the way.
“I’ve told them, and I think I’ve said many times, that we still have a few bumps along the way in the adaptation process because it’s you need to discover a few things.
“Five races is not enough to discover your strengths and weaknesses or things that may catch you by surprise, but I think we’re trending in the right direction and that’s the important thing.”
Sainz also outlined for the media just how much adjustment is still underway, as he acclimates to life at Williams after driving for Ferrari for four seasons.
“Every weekend I’m still trying something different with setup, and the last couple of weekends I seem to have just tried something that worked,” said Sainz. “If I keep applying this philosophy for sure at one point I will try something that doesn’t work and I need to revert, so I need more examples of that and probably maybe what worked in here that might not work in Miami and I need to learn that and have that experience.
“And then with driving, for sure, I think there’s conditions that I haven’t been with with this car yet, tarmacs and curb usages and bumps that I haven’t experienced yet with this car.”
Perhaps the most interesting comments from Sainz came when he talked about his transition to Williams, and the translation Lewis Hamilton — his replacement at Ferrari — is dealing with. Asked about Hamilton’s recent struggles, Sainz stated that they did not come as a surprise, given the big changes that a driver endures when switching teams.
“I’m not surprised at all,” began Sainz. “For me, I expected it to myself and I expected it with him.
“Because in this sport there’s no secrets and when you are up against two teammates that we are, like Alex and Charles [Leclerc] they know the team inside out. They are already performing at the maximum that that car can perform, so you can only do just a little bit better or the same as them.
“You cannot suddenly arrive and be two or three times quicker because it’s not possible.
“They are already at the limit of the car, so when you jump to a new team and you’re expected by yourself and by everyone around you to be at that level, you know, it’s going to take time and there’s no secret.
“They know a lot more than you.”
As with the situation at Ferrari, Sainz conceded that some patience might be needed for him at Williams as well.
“It’s gonna take a bit of time and the sooner you make that process and the sooner you are at that level, the better,” added Sainz. “But for some drivers, it might take longer or shorter. Lewis had an amazing weekend in China. Then he seems to have a bit more trouble now, but it’s going to take time for a new driver to adjust.
“It’s a tricky question because it depends how natural the car comes to you. Depends how natural the relationship with engineers and that blend that comes.
How much time might this process take? It might bleed into 2026 according to Sainz.
“I’ve always said that to know a car well. You need at least half a year or a year to experience everything with that car,” added Sainz. “That doesn’t mean that you cannot perform during that year.
“If you can perform at 100% or 99%, and you’re 99% might still be pretty good.
“But the 100% for sure there is.
“There are things that you need for half a year I would say to experience.”
Williams arrives in Miami with 25 points on the year, sitting fifth in the standings.
Just imagine what that could look like once Sainz gets the time he is looking for to adjust.
