Carlos Sainz has already taken charge at Williams: “I can help you a lot”. A behind-the-scenes look at the tests Carlos Sainz carried out with Williams in Abu Dhabi.

Carlos Sainz’s Early Steps with Williams
Carlos Sainz’s 2025 Formula 1 season has begun ahead of schedule. In December, the “Smooth Operator” tested the FW46, the predecessor to the car he will drive in the 2025 Championship. Right after his final race with Ferrari and the emotional farewell to the Scuderia, the Spaniard donned the blue overalls in Abu Dhabi and began his journey with Williams. He participated in a filming day and then the Pirelli post-season tests.

During these end-of-season tests, Carlos Sainz provided the team with valuable initial feedback, showing a strong rapport with the garage team. He brings with him a decade of F1 experience, which he is eager to share.

The Video
In the video shared by Williams, Carlos Sainz is seen fully focused, taking notes during briefings and closely following the work of mechanics and engineers. “I need to see in the data what I’m feeling in the car. If we can manage that, I can help you a lot with setup. The last setups worked well for me, and with Franco’s (Colapinto, editor’s note) configuration, you can brake a bit later, so I’m happy,” he said.

A work of art 🎨 pic.twitter.com/e6Qog4i3lU

— Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) January 11, 2025

Carlos Sainz knows that 2025 will be challenging, but he is used to working hard to help teams grow—a foundation he has already laid at Renault, McLaren, and Ferrari. The real gamble for the former Ferrari driver and the Grove team lies in 2026. With the debut of the new generation of cars, it will become clear whether this move will pay off.