After four years of driving for arguably the most iconic team (Ferrari) in F1, Carlos Sainz is set to make a move to ailing giants Williams. At Williams, he will be the team leader and a lot will be expected of him.
That said, the #55 driver believes that he is coming into the team with the foundations for success already laid out. He believes his upcoming stint with the Grove-based team is similar to that of him driving for McLaren. And he hopes to get Williams in a similar position as the Woking-based team is now at.
Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, Sainz explained, “I have the feeling that I am starting at Williams at a similar time as I did back then at McLaren.” He then revealed what his expectations are around the project at Williams.
“The team has already gotten through the worst phase by the time I arrive. They are on their way up. My goal is to accelerate this upward trend. When I left McLaren, I knew I was leaving a good team and that they would achieve success,” he concluded.
AUTO MOTOR UND SPORT – You have already helped Renault and McLaren move forward. Is it similar to the task now at Williams?
Carlos Sainz: That is very comparable. I have the feeling that I am starting at Williams at a similar time as I did back then at McLaren.
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— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) November 14, 2024
Considering that McLaren have now established themselves as a true championship contender, Sainz will hope to have a similar impact at Williams. And as he explained, the worst phase for Williams is now behind them and they could use his expertise to kickstart their resurgence to the front of the field.
Are Williams really on the up in 2024?
On paper, Williams have made a sensational turnaround under the leadership of James Vowles. Last year, the former Mercedes man led the team to a P7 finish in the Constructors’ championship. And even though the team have made serious inroads in terms of development and performance, they are struggling with the administrative side of things.
With only two chassis at hand, crashes like the ones they suffered in Brazil are threatening to drive them into a crisis. Franco Colapinto could miss out on the Las Vegas GP next weekend, with Williams reportedly out of spares and capable of fielding only a single car.
Williams has suffered nearly $10million of F1 crash damage in 2024 – with three races still remaining!
Swipe down to check out how much each driver has cost their team this season pic.twitter.com/KwoqyANqI7
— Crash.net – Formula 1 (@CRASH_NET_F1) November 14, 2024
That said, Vowles has made it clear that an organizational plan is already in effect that would see them scoring results again. And hopefully, they will be able to sort out all their issues before Sainz joins them next year.
