Alex Albon Suggest Carlos Sainz to ‘Not Expect Much’ From Williams

23 Alexander Albon (THA, Williams Racing), 55 Carlos Sainz (ESP, Scuderia Ferrari HP), F1 Grand Prix of Mexico

After fighting for wins and podiums on the regular with Ferrari, Carlos Sainz will have to recalibrate his expectations once he moves to Williams in 2025. Sainz himself will not be a complete stranger to the ground realities of the Grove-based team but his future teammate Alex Albon has already started painting a grim picture for the Spaniard’s imminent arrival.

Speaking ahead of the 2024 Qatar GP, Albon was asked what Sainz should expect from the team going into 2025. The Thai driver responded, “Truthfully, not too much. I wish I could say more. Once Abu Dhabi happens, I’ll be very keen to hear his feedback on the car, see where he has to compare to with Ferrari,” as quoted on X (formerly Twitter).

This year, the Grove-based team has occasionally had a decent midfield car. However, it has still been miles off the pace and performance of the machinery that Sainz has gotten used to over at Maranello.

While Albon wouldn’t want to dissuade the 30-year-old, it is true that the team is still far away from the level they would like to be at. Naturally, the Thai driver expects a rough transition for Sainz who has gotten used to race-winning machinery with Ferrari.

Ferrari allow Carlos Sainz to test Williams’ machinery at Abu Dhabi

Albon was keen to know the Spaniard’s feedback about the FW46 after the Abu Dhabi GP. As is customary, the Spaniard has an opportunity to test the Williams car during the post-season test at the Yas Marina Circuit.

This has been possible, owing to Ferrari boss Fred Vasseur giving the #55 driver the chance to try his future team’s car out. On the other hand, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has not bestowed the same blessing upon his own driver, Lewis Hamilton, who will be driving for Ferrari from next season onwards.

Citing contractual obligations with the sponsors and a farewell that has been planned for the seven-time world champion, Wolff explained why the #44 driver is not allowed to drive the SF-24 during the post-season test in two weeks’ time.

Post Edited By: Vidit Dhawan
Alex Albon carlos sainz Williams

About the author

Anirban Aly Mandal

Anirban Aly Mandal is an F1 writer at The SportsRush, with over 1000 articles under his belt, Anirban's love for F1 started when he discovered a copy of F1 2014 on his computer. With over half a decade's worth of time spent religiously following the sport, he’s dived deep into the world of motorsports. However, Anirban's expertise goes beyond just writing - he has also written several academic papers focused on the domain of motorsports and the law. His passion for the sport is so immense that he aspires to work as a legal advisor in the most prestigious racing series in the world someday. When it comes to Formula 1, Anirban finds great pleasure in re-watching classic races and idolizes the likes of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. His top picks include Brazil '91, Silverstone '92, and Germany '19. Outside of the sport, Anirban is an avid sim racer, often found racing on titles like Assetto Corsa, F1 22, and Automobilista. Apart from his interests in gaming, Anirban has a keen interest in philosophy, literature and music.

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