After spending four years with a team like Ferrari, Carlos Sainz’s move to Williams is surely going to come as a shock, not only from the perspective of competitiveness but also culturally.
Speaking to F1 TV presenter Lawrence Barretto, the #55 driver did admit that he will take some time to adapt to moving from a completely Italian team to a British one. But 2025 won’t be the first time that the Madrid-born driver will be racing for an iconic British team.
The 30-year-old is sure that his time with McLaren between 2019 and 2020 will help him assimilate with the Grove-based outfit faster.
“Honestly, I find Williams a lot more similar to how I found McLaren at the time. So, I have experience with British teams; I know how they work,” he began.
Get To Know New Williams Team Mates Carlos Sainz & Alex Albon! https://t.co/buGc6HT3Uz
— F1HeadNED (@F1HeadNED) February 21, 2025
However, Sainz did admit that he may take some time to disassociate himself from the style of working at Ferrari, having spent four seasons with the Italian outfit.
What has already made his integration into Williams easier, though, is the passion that he has seen in the ranks at the Grove-based team. Sainz revealed that his conversations with the team members have only strengthened his resolve that the team has the necessary resources and willingness to get back to the top of the sport.
Sainz wants to emulate McLaren’s success with Williams
Having driven for McLaren in 2019 and 2020, Sainz played an instrumental role in the Woking-based outfit’s resurgence as his time with the team helped build the foundations for their Constructors’ championship triumph last season.
Sainz’s tenure with McLaren saw them climb the ranks of the pecking order quite spectacularly. After a disappointing P6 finish in 2018, Sainz’s first season with the team saw them finish a strong P4.
The team’s performance only improved in 2020 with the Spanish racing ace’s feedback and input on car development. As a result, the Woking-based team finished third in the Constructors’ championship that season — their best finish since 2012. And now Sainz hopes to have a similar impact 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 explained while commenting on Williams’ championship ambitions.
