Carlos Sainz was given an emotional send-off by Ferrari as he prepares for his transfer to Williams forward of the 2025 Components 1 season.
The Spanish driver has spent the final 4 seasons alongside Charles Leclerc on the Italian workforce and shall be changed by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for the upcoming 12 months.
In his remaining season with the Maranello workforce, Carlos Sainz managed to safe two race wins, together with a outstanding victory on the Australian Grand Prix, simply weeks after recovering from appendicitis surgical procedure. Nevertheless, he now faces a brand new problem with Williams as he joins forces with Alex Albon to assist return the workforce to prominence, aiming to finish a 20-year championship drought. Lando Norris believes Carlos Sainz’s addition will elevate Williams right into a prime contender, a view supported by Carlos Sainz’s confirmed skill to steer each McLaren and Ferrari towards the entrance of the grid in recent times.
Whereas rapid success within the Constructors’ Championship could also be out of attain, there may be loads of potential for long-term development on the Grove-based workforce.
Carlos Sainz’s Father Spins Ferrari F1 Automobile Throughout Farewell Laps
In accordance with former Haas workforce principal Guenther Steiner, Williams has secured a “lottery win” by signing Carlos Sainz, whose race-winning expertise and deep data of automotive improvement shall be invaluable for a workforce working to enhance within the midfield.
Nevertheless, the journey won’t be simple. New workforce principal James Vowles has acknowledged that the 2025 season will focus extra on studying and improvement than rapid outcomes, with 2026 being seen because the 12 months to make vital strides.
As a part of his farewell from Ferrari, Carlos Sainz and his father got the chance to drive two SF-75 automobiles across the legendary Fiorano take a look at observe. Ferrari’s press launch famous an amusing second in the course of the farewell laps when Carlos Sainz’s father spun the automotive, however he shortly regained management and continued to finish laps with sturdy tempo: “Though he spun the automotive, Senior quickly discovered his rhythm, finishing a number of runs doing constant lap occasions. At mid-morning, his son additionally went out on observe, reacquainting himself with the automotive with which he took his maiden Components 1 win on the 2022 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.” – Ferrari’s press launch revealed.
Is Lewis Hamilton a Stronger Choice for Ferrari Than Carlos Sainz?
Ferrari is presently adopting a “win now” mentality, having lastly developed a automotive able to competing constantly for the championship throughout a variety of circuits.
Traditionally, Ferrari has confronted challenges with automotive improvement because the season progresses, however they seem to have overcome this hurdle, having taken the Constructors’ Championship battle all the way down to the wire at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this 12 months.
Whereas they weren’t as shut within the Drivers’ Championship combat, the addition of Mercedes’ star drivers, together with Lewis Hamilton, is anticipated to strengthen their probabilities on this space. Even Purple Bull’s Helmut Marko has praised Lewis Hamilton as “world-class,” acknowledging that the British driver has demonstrated for practically twenty years his skill to win and relentlessly problem his rivals.
Constructing a profitable partnership will take time, and it’ll rely on the Maranello workforce discovering a setup that fits Lewis Hamilton’s driving type. Nevertheless, if they can unlock that potential, it might propel the workforce to new heights.
This potential for fulfillment is probably going a key purpose why the seven-time Components 1 world champion selected the Italian facet, and it might clarify why the workforce believes their probabilities of profitable are better with him onboard in comparison with Carlos Sainz.