Formula 1: Carlos Sainz impressed by Williams’ spirit as he gears up for 2025 season

New Delhi, Feb 13 (IANS) Carlos Sainz’s transition from Ferrari to Williams has begun on a high note, with the Spaniard heaping praise on his new team’s determination and energy during his first days in the Williams garage. Fresh off his final race in red, Sainz wasted no time settling into his new surroundings, participating in a filming day at Yas Marina before jumping into testing duties the very next day.

For Sainz, the change from Ferrari’s prancing horse to Williams’ storied blue and white was always going to be a significant shift, but what stood out most was the team’s undying enthusiasm despite a rough end to their 2024 campaign.

Speaking at a recent Q&A session with Team Principal James Vowles at the Williams factory, the four-time Grand Prix winner shared his initial impressions.

“Honestly, very positive,” Sainz said of his first days in Williams colours. “I think we had a very productive two days of testing, and I have to thank everyone who made that possible. The filming day on Monday helped a lot to ensure that on Tuesday we were straight into work. That meant I could use that full Abu Dhabi tyre test to my advantage—and to our advantage as a team.”

Williams endured a difficult end to their 2024 season, with multiple crashes testing the resolve of the team. Yet, as Sainz stepped into his new garage, he found a squad undeterred by setbacks. “The thing that impressed me the most was just how motivated everyone was,” he said. “Even at the end of the year, after a tough run of races, with a lot of hard work at the factory and the track to keep the two cars running, the enthusiasm was still there.

“I’ve done that Abu Dhabi test with other teams before, and I know how exhausted people can get after a triple-header. But at Williams, I saw smiling faces everywhere. People wanted to be involved, wanted to collaborate, and wanted to make that test as positive as possible. Honestly, I was extremely impressed.”

For Sainz, those two days in Abu Dhabi were the perfect way to head into the winter break, knowing he had a team fully committed to making strides in 2025. And now, the wait for his first Williams challenger is nearly over. The team will unveil their FW47 in a bespoke livery at Silverstone on Friday (IST), followed by the grand reveal of their race livery at the F1 75 Live event in The O2 on February 18.

–IANS

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