Sainz praises Williams' progress post-2025 car test at Silverstone

Dominika Jordan
Feb 14, 2025, 12:20 PM ET

Carlos Sainz commends Williams’ progress after debut run of 2025 car at Silverstone.

Carlos Sainz drove his 2025 Williams for the first time at a cold, grey Silverstone on Friday, marking a significant moment in his switch from Ferrari.

Despite the team's challenges last year, finishing ninth out of the ten Formula 1 teams, Sainz expressed cautious optimism about the new season and the team's future prospects.

Williams, which has its eyes set on a major improvement in 2026 with the introduction of new engine regulations, showcased their progress by inviting all their partners and the media to witness the first laps of their new car. Sainz, who has now joined his fifth different F1 team after relinquishing his spot at Ferrari to seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, was encouraged by the initial testing.

"I think this is a good show of Williams' progress, to be bold enough to prepare a test where all of our partners are here, all the media is invited to see the first laps of the car," Sainz told reporters. "It shows the trust that Williams has in their new tools to produce a car that is going to be here on time, is going to be working well like it did today without any issues and I think it's a good sign."

Sainz, who notched up four career wins with Ferrari—two of them coming last season—finds himself in unfamiliar territory, now fighting for points rather than wins. Despite his reluctance to leave Ferrari, he chose Williams over the struggling Sauber team, which will become the Audi factory outfit in 2026.

When asked about adjusting to his new role, Sainz responded, "I don't know how I'm going to react to fighting for the seventh to the 15th place, I don't know how much I'm going to miss it [winning], I don't know how much fun I'm going to find it," but added, "The only thing I can tell you is I'm very happy, I'm very motivated, I'm excited, I feel supported, I feel a team full of good energy, positive energy."

Sainz emphasized the supportive environment at Williams and his confidence in his ability to contribute to the team's progress. "I have a team principal and a team that fully trusts in my abilities and that want to listen to what I say and I have confidence in my abilities to help the team to move forward. I like Alex [Albon] as a teammate in how we can both push this team forward. So the whole project, the whole thing just motivates me a lot."

As Williams prepares for the new season, Sainz's positive testing feedback provides a promising outlook for a team eager to climb up the ranks and make significant strides by the time the 2026 regulations come into effect.