Sainz completes first Williams Racing Test

By Andrew Hooper
December 11 2024

As the Williams Racing Team winds down for the end of season break we would still see the team having the opportunity to run new signing Carlos Sainz as part of a Pirelli tyre test. Carlos and the team would have a productive day as they start the process of building up their relationship, a relationship that will hopefully culminate with success in 2026. Carlos spoke of how he ackowledges that the process of rebuilding the team will be a long term one but that it is a project that he is committed to. Like all his fans and fans of Williams we are hoping that this process bears fruit.

Having completed his final race as a Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz would turn to his new future challenge when he was given the opportunity to complete a days testing, in conjunction with the Pirelli 2025 tyre evaluations, with his new employer Williams Racing. Some have questioned the wisdom of him joining Williams given their difficult recent history. But it would seem to be the case that Carlos is keen to accept the demands of this project and work with the team right from Day 1 as he aims to help rebuild the team going into 2025 and 2026.

In interviews with Spanish media Carlos spoke of his enthusiasm towards taking the Williams team forward.

Carlos commented to DANZ Spain: “Honestly, people won’t believe it and can’t imagine how much I’m looking forward to what’s to come.”

“It may seem strange to people but it’s a project that motivates me a lot. It’s in my mind to be able to help a legendary team like Williams in F1 to become a top team again. Being part of that motivates me a lot.”

As for how this move to Williams will affect his future prospects Carlos made it very clear that he acknowledges that he will go from a team that was capable to winning races and achieving podiums to one that is still a distance from this level of competitiveness.

Carlos added: “I know I won’t be fighting for wins and podiums in the next few years, but I’m not worried about that.

“I’ve got that, I’ve done that with Ferrari, and what I’m going to take care of is that this time lasts as little as possible with the team I’m going to and make the most of it.”

“I think the way to face a year like this is never ideal,” he explained. “All the great years of the best sportsmen in history come with a 100% team, a project for the future and everyone pushing in the same direction.

“And yes, I have noticed that Ferrari has supported me at all times and all season long. But whether you like it or not, when you know you’re leaving at the end of the year, it’s complicated to manage.

“We have all managed to stay out of it and keep giving it our all. The end of the season has been very nice and a sign of strength that I think will help me in my next projects.”

Carlos would finish his first day behind the wheel in an impressive second position. Not that a lot can be drawn from such test days but it certainly gave the team a positive feeling going into the Christmas break.

With the commencement of the one day test at Abu Dhabi there was an immense level of interest from teams and in particular Carlos's fans as to what we would see and how he would perform over the course of the day.

We would be presented with the sight of Carlos in white overalls as he took the Williams FW46 for its first run. His day would see him in continued interaction with the Williams engineering staff as they worked on the initial, evaluations of the car from Carlos.

Carlos commented on how he felt the team would fare acknowledging that it will be a time before he and the team would return to podiums.

Sainz added: "James said it the other day and calmed everyone's expectations: next year is going to be tough and a learning year before the change of regulations in '26, where I believe the team is investing and the team is preparing to maximise that chance.

"I'm as determined as ever to help that team to be back where it belongs. I personally feel like I belong fighting for wins, podiums and top fives in Formula 1, I've proven it these last four years as a [Ferrari] driver.

"But Williams also belongs to fighting for these top-five and podium places and together with the determination and the strength that we're going to show, the target is to get Williams and myself fighting for those positions in the near future.

"How long that's going to take? I cannot tell you. But I don't think you guys understand and expect how motivated and how much I'm actually looking forward to that challenge. That's one of my qualities, to help a team to perform better and to know which directions to follow.

"And that actually motivates me, having a full team behind Alex [Albon] and me pushing all in the same direction to make a historic team like Williams competitive again. It's tough to explain but some people don't understand how much I'm actually looking forward to it."

Driver				Team		Time
1) Charles Leclerc		Ferrari		1:23.510
2) Carlos Sainz			Williams	1:23.635
3) George Russell		Mercedes	1:23.789
4) Nico Hulkenberg		Sauber		1:23.856
5) Andrea Kimi Antonelli	Mercedes	1:23.873
6) Ayumu Iwasa			RB		1:24.100
7) Pato O'Ward			McLaren		1:24.222
8) Jack Doohan			Alpine		1:24.268
9) Paul Aron			Alpine		1:24.275
10) Esteban Ocon		Haas		1:24.305
11) Luke Browning		Williams	1:24.375
12) Ryo Hirakawa		Haas		1:24.435
13) Liam Lawson			RB		1:24.440
14) Arthur Leclerc		Ferrari		1:24.576
15) Isack Hadjar		Red Bull	1:24.632
16) Lando Norris		McLaren		1:24.678
17) Yuki Tsunoda		Red Bull	1:24.689
18) Gabriel Bortoleto		Sauber		1:24.738
19) Oscar Piastri		McLaren		1:24.838
20) Jak Crawford		Aston Martin	1:24.997
21) Felipe Drugovich		Aston Martin	1:25.014
22) Frederik Vesti		Mercedes	1:25.159
23) Antonio Fuoco		Ferrari		1:25.238