No regrets. Carlos Sainz has thrown himself into the world of Williams, accepting an all-encompassing challenge: “I didn’t find a spot in a top team, so I’ll try to create one.” In front of his eyes is the story of McLaren, a team Sainz was part of when the foundations for their current success were being laid.
The goal is to follow the same path at Williams, and Sainz wants to play an active role in this journey. Having left behind four years at Ferrari, Carlos now exudes great stability, forged through highs and deep disappointments. He knows what he wants and is well aware of the challenges ahead, starting with the adaptation process at Williams that he had already anticipated.
From his chat with Motorsport.com, a strong analytical capacity emerges, along with a very clear vision of the future, which leads him to avoid lying — especially to himself. This is shown in a previously unrevealed behind-the-scenes detail from last year’s Mexican Grand Prix.
Twelve months ago around this time, you didn’t yet know your future. How are you now?
“Personally, I’m definitely better now. I’m in a team with a long-term project that really motivates me. I feel part of a family. That’s not to say I didn’t feel good at Ferrari — I want to stress that — but of course, last year was a different situation since I competed all season already knowing I’d be leaving the team. It was a strange year, but all things considered, I’d say we did a good job as a team.”
Last year, it took you a long time to decide to join Williams. How did that choice come about?
“I gave myself time until the summer to see if there was an opportunity with a top team and to assess what the best alternative was. I didn’t want to make the wrong choice, so I evaluated everything very carefully.”
Why do you think top teams didn’t consider Carlos Sainz last year?
“I’ve come to some conclusions, but I’ll keep them to myself. I believe insiders in Formula 1 know very well why certain decisions are made — I don’t need to explain it in front of a microphone. So I told myself: if I can’t go to a top team, I can help build one. At Williams, I saw the potential to start a great story.”
“I spoke at length with James (Vowles) about the project he had in mind, and I decided to go for Williams because it seemed like the best opportunity to help create a top team. Six months after joining this team, I can say I’m even more convinced than when I signed the contract. We’re all working 100% to achieve this goal.”
This year there’s been a lot of talk about the difficulties drivers face when switching teams. How is your integration into the Williams world going?
“I think this is being talked about a lot because a great driver is facing the challenges of changing teams. Now the public is paying attention to a situation I know very well, having changed teams five times. I remember spending a year at Renault, two years at McLaren, and when I said I was adapting to the team, I don’t think people fully understood how tough it is.”
“You’re a Formula 1 driver — you’re expected to adapt quickly. But I don’t think people really grasp what that means. It’s not an excuse, but now this topic is better understood. I talk to all the drivers who have switched teams and they all tell me the same thing: without testing, the only chance you have to try what you need is during race weekends — and that obviously puts you at a disadvantage. But it’s the only way to grow, and that process takes time.”
Concretely, what does that mean?
“There are dozens of details that vary from team to team. Talking about power units, there’s engine braking, torque curves, and other aspects like the differential, the feeling with brake discs from different manufacturers, the procedure to bring tires up to temperature during the outlap, tire management in the race, the qualifying lap approach — so many variables that are very, very important in today’s Formula 1.”
“A driver who’s spent three or four seasons in a team is obviously very familiar with all these aspects and can exploit everything to the maximum. In my case, I see Albon — but also Leclerc at Ferrari, Verstappen at Red Bull, or Russell at Mercedes — and to reach that level of feeling takes time. Simply because they’re familiar with things that a newly arrived driver doesn’t know. You can only discover them during race weekends, through laps, data analysis, or copying, and that takes time.”
Were you surprised by the progress Williams has shown in the early part of this season, or did you expect it?
“If I chose Williams, it’s because I saw the potential in this team to do what we’re doing. That said, the step forward we’ve made came sooner than I expected — and maybe the team itself was also surprised by how much progress we’ve made from last year to now.”
“In the first races, we made a good step, but what’s giving me even more confidence is that when I started being able, together with the engineers, to change a few things in the setup, we made another performance step. I like being able to contribute to finding the path we need to follow, and together with Alex, I think we’re doing a good job finding the right direction.”
Before the Suzuka weekend, the team replaced the chassis you used in Melbourne and Shanghai. Was that your request?
“I started the season very strong in the Bahrain tests, and already in the testing day we had last December in Yas Marina, the feedback had been positive. But in the first two race weekends, I had some problems in qualifying — I didn’t have the feeling I expected. So the team decided to replace the chassis early as part of the planned chassis rotation.”
“In the end, it’s true that I was faster starting from Japan, but I’m not sure that was due to the chassis. I think it was more a matter of setup, which allowed me to drive better and understand the car.”
How long will it take to bring Williams back among the top teams?
“I think next year we still won’t be ready. It would be great to take another step forward, because that would mean being with the top teams. But my experience at Ferrari also taught me that it’s one thing to be in the group, another to actually beat the top teams.”
“This season we’re getting a first taste — in some qualifying sessions we’ve been able to fight on equal terms with Mercedes and Ferrari, which wasn’t at all expected. Then we made some mistakes that cost us many points — and that confirms that a team’s growth doesn’t only depend on car performance. The whole team has to grow in every aspect, and I believe James Vowles is the ideal person for this task.”
“I think we’ll get there — so in some ways it’s better to accept some mistakes this season, since we still don’t have a car that can fight for the highest goals.”
How has your life changed?
“When you change teams — and I’ve done it many times — other aspects of your life change too. I think that’s natural. From age 26 to 30, I was part of an incredible team — it was a great time. When I arrived in Imola this year, the fans welcomed and greeted me warmly — I felt loved and I truly want to thank them for that recognition. It was four beautiful years in which we gave everything for Ferrari. I can’t say I miss it because I’ve turned the page. Now I’m immersed in the Williams reality because I have this opportunity and I must make the most of it, but I will always keep wonderful memories.”
Where do you see yourself in 4–5 years?
“I’d like to win a World Championship — to be fighting with Williams for the top goal. That’s my life project: to have passion, motivation, and put all of that into a project.”
Last season, when you signed with Williams, you said you saw something in the team that reminded you of your time at McLaren — another project where you made a strong contribution…
“It’s a matter of trust in the right people. Teams today are really big, and it’s crucial to have good leaders in every department. At Williams, I’ve found very capable people in every area. I remember when I arrived at McLaren there were Andrea Stella and Peter Prodromou — maybe they didn’t yet hold the roles they have today, but their profile and ability were already clear.”
“When Ferrari contacted me, I didn’t hesitate — it’s Ferrari. But I knew McLaren would grow. I still meet Andrea in the paddock and I always tell him: it’s great to see what you’ve accomplished. Even if I left the team just when they were starting to take their first steps forward, I have very fond memories.”
Last year, you maintained good performance despite all the uncertainty about your future. What was the hardest part of 2024?
“It wasn’t the best year of my career — probably my best seasons were still those at McLaren. At Ferrari, I had some very strong highlights that allowed me to win races, but clearly the toughest season was the last one.”
“I didn’t know where I’d be racing this year, and it’s not ideal to race in those conditions. To perform at 100%, you need to be in a calm environment like Max or Charles have — where you know everything and everything revolves around you. Last year I tried to make the most of the chances I had. And even though it wasn’t an easy season, I’m proud to have given everything for Ferrari.”
One of the most powerful images of your 2024 season is your expression on the Mexican Grand Prix podium…
“I’ll explain why. I arrived in Mexico telling myself: ‘Carlos, this might be the last time you win a race in Formula 1 — you don’t know what the future holds.’ Basically, I put pressure on myself — but it was a real thought. I knew that weekend the car would go well, and at the same time, I was aware that going to Williams meant not knowing if I’d ever drive a winning car again.”
“Obviously, my goal is to bring Williams back to the top — I trust my talent — but you can’t predict the future. Going back to the eve of the Mexico City weekend, I don’t know how consciously, but I put myself under significant pressure — and in the end, it worked, really well. I did the two laps of my life in Q3, made a great pass on Verstappen, and won the race. After crossing the finish line, I told myself: ‘This is what I’m capable of.’”
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