Carlos Sainz may have lost his coveted Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilton, but he isn’t dwelling on the past—he’s charging forward. The Spaniard has hit the track in Barcelona, ramping up preparations for his highly anticipated debut with Williams.
Sainz, a three-time F1 race winner, is determined to prove that his move to the Grove-based squad isn’t a step backward but a fresh chapter in his pursuit of excellence. And if Williams boss James Vowles’ latest comments are anything to go by, Sainz’s arrival is already transforming the team.
Back in Action: Sainz Pushes Williams Hardware at Barcelona
With the 2025 season rapidly approaching, Sainz and teammate Alex Albon have been clocking valuable laps in Williams’ 2023 FW45 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. This marks the second time the Spaniard has sampled Williams machinery, having previously driven the 2024 FW46 in the post-season Abu Dhabi test.
Although the FW45 isn’t the latest challenger, the session is crucial. It provides Sainz with a deeper understanding of the team’s engineering philosophies while allowing Williams to integrate his feedback into the final refinements of their new car.
Vowles, the mastermind behind Sainz’s move to Williams, is already seeing the impact of his new recruit.
Vowles Praises Sainz’s Winning Mentality
“He’s fitting in perfectly,” Vowles declared at the Autosport Awards. “He’s a brilliant personality who brings not just race-winning pedigree, but this want and desire for Williams to be successful.”
It’s a statement of intent. Williams, once a fallen giant of F1, is no longer content with midfield scraps. With Sainz on board, the team is looking to chase milliseconds rather than just fixing fundamental issues.
“You can see from the moment he jumped in the car in Abu Dhabi. His mind switched. This is where he wants to be. This is what he wants to do. He’s part of our success story,” Vowles added.
The momentum is already building, with Sainz actively contributing fresh ideas and technical insights. The 29-year-old is renowned for his methodical approach and feedback, a skill set that could prove vital as Williams attempts to close the gap to the front of the grid.
Williams Joins Testing Frenzy as Teams Push Pre-Season Limits
Williams isn’t the only team getting an early jump on pre-season preparation. In recent weeks, both Ferrari and Sauber have also conducted private testing with older-spec cars, ensuring their drivers accumulate as much track time as possible before the FIA-mandated limit of 1,000 kilometers per team kicks in.
Meanwhile, McLaren has been leading the charge in Pirelli’s wet-weather tyre development at the Paul Ricard Circuit in France. Over two days, the Woking-based squad ran extensive tests on prototype intermediate and extreme wet tyres, gathering crucial data for F1’s upcoming 2026 regulation overhaul.
Oscar Piastri opened proceedings, completing 120 laps with a best time of 1:07.008s, before Lando Norris took over, adding 123 laps with a fastest time of 1:07.956s.
Pirelli’s Director of Motorsport, Mario Isola, hailed the session as a success:
“When testing wet-weather tyres, it’s not easy to consistently reproduce the same track conditions to get reliable data, but over these past two days, we were able to acquire plenty of information that will be vital when it comes to defining the new intermediate and extreme wet tyres.”
More Testing to Come—Ferrari, McLaren, Alpine, and Mercedes Get Involved
Pirelli’s testing schedule is far from over. In the coming weeks, three more private test sessions are lined up in Spain, where teams will shift focus to dry-weather tyre development:
📌 February 4-5: McLaren and Ferrari head to Barcelona-Catalunya for further evaluations.
📌 February 12-13: Jerez de la Frontera hosts Alpine for two full days, while McLaren and Mercedes will split one day each.
With the 2025 pre-season rapidly gaining momentum, every lap counts. Sainz’s return to the track with Williams signals the beginning of a highly competitive year, where the midfield battle looks set to be closer than ever.
Will Sainz’s experience and determination help propel Williams to the next level? The early signs suggest he’s not here just to make up the numbers—he’s here to fight.