Carlos Sainz admits he was already planning on how you can make Williams sooner by remembering the sensation of his Ferrari as he completed second on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The Spaniard will likely be changed by Lewis Hamilton subsequent 12 months and has agreed to affix Williams, the place as a substitute of competing for race wins, the preliminary problem will likely be to show the group into one which scores factors frequently.
Sainz received two races in 2024 however, alongside Charles Leclerc, was unable to ship the constructors’ championship for Ferrari, which was crushed by McLaren by simply 14 factors.
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As Sainz aimed to catch race winner Lando Norris, he conceded that his thoughts had already began turning to how you can enhance Williams when he arrives in Grove.
Requested if it was onerous to maneuver on so shortly, Sainz replied: “Being very trustworthy with you, I do not assume so. I believe, I am not going to lie, my final laps, as a lot as I used to be pushing like hell for this group and making an attempt to, I used to be already beginning to really feel issues within the automobile and making an attempt to say, ‘bear in mind how this feels’.
“As a result of tomorrow and Tuesday I want to recollect, why is that this automobile fast on this nook and why does it really feel good? As a result of I do know most likely what I’ll discover tomorrow, and Tuesday wants some margin of enchancment within the corners that I used to be feeling the automobile. So this simply sums up that I am already wanting additionally forward.
“I am extraordinarily motivated for the problem that I’ve forward of me. Right now is a day to try to take pleasure in as a lot as doable with the group as my final day in pink.
“We nonetheless have some days in Maranello arising, however clearly my aggressive thoughts is already wanting ahead to Monday and Tuesday and to see how I could make that Williams automobile sooner.”
Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari
Photograph by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Pictures
Williams struggled on the again finish of the season, taking only one level from the ultimate six races of the 12 months and ending ninth within the standings with solely Sauber behind the group.
Not since George Russell’s second place on the truncated 2021 Belgium Grand Prix has Williams had a driver on the rostrum, and Sainz admits he can not assure the following time.
“That could be a query that I can not reply,” he added.
“It is unattainable to foretell the long run, unattainable to understand how lengthy it should take me and Williams to be again preventing for podium positions.
“I believe James [Vowles, Williams team principal] stated it the opposite day and calmed everybody’s expectations, that subsequent 12 months goes to be a troublesome 12 months and a studying 12 months earlier than we put together for the change of laws in ‘26, the place I consider the group is investing and the group is getting ready to maximise that likelihood.
“What I can let you know is that I am as decided as ever to assist that group to be again the place it belongs. I personally really feel like I belong to be preventing for wins, podiums and high fives in Formulation 1. I believe I’ve confirmed it these final 4 years as a driver. I believe I belong to that. However Williams can not overlook that Williams additionally belongs to preventing for these high 5 and podium locations.
“And along with the dedication and the energy that I believe we’ll present collectively, the goal is to get Williams and myself preventing for these positions within the close to future, within the nearest future. How lengthy that is going to take, I can not let you know.”
On this article
Mark Mann-Bryans
Formulation 1
Carlos Sainz
Ferrari
Williams
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