Carlos Sainz isn’t just swapping red for blue—he’s embracing an entirely new challenge. The former Ferrari star, now officially a Williams driver, took his first laps in the FW47 at Silverstone, offering a glimpse into the team’s ambitious rebuild ahead of F1’s 2026 regulation shakeup.
🔵 “It’s a bold move by Williams,” Sainz said after completing his first shakedown with the British outfit. “This shows their confidence in their progress, and I feel incredibly motivated.”
Williams, a once-dominant force in Formula 1, finished ninth in 2024 but is banking on long-term gains rather than immediate victories. The 30-year-old Spaniard, with four career wins under his belt—including two with Ferrari last season—left the Scuderia reluctantly after Lewis Hamilton’s bombshell move to Maranello.
But instead of taking the factory-backed Audi/Sauber route, Sainz chose Williams, believing in their forward-thinking vision under team principal James Vowles.
Sainz on Leaving Ferrari & Facing the Unknown
Despite the high-stakes switch, Sainz admitted there are big unknowns ahead:
🗣 “I don’t know how I’ll react to fighting for seventh to 15th place. I don’t know how much I’ll miss winning,” he admitted. “But what I do know is that I feel happy, motivated, and valued here at Williams.”
The former McLaren and Renault driver also praised his new teammate Alex Albon, expressing confidence in their ability to push the team forward together.
With an eye on the future, Williams is playing the long game, targeting F1’s next-gen regulations in 2026 as their chance to make a serious comeback. And with Sainz leading the charge, the historic team just might be setting the stage for a remarkable resurgence.
🏎️ Can Sainz’s experience and leadership transform Williams? Or will the transition from Ferrari be too drastic? One thing’s for sure—he’s betting big on this new era.