Sainz already planning to improve Williams on final Ferrari laps

Carlos Sainz admits he was already planning on how to make Williams faster by remembering the feeling of his Ferrari as he finished second at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Spaniard will be replaced by Lewis Hamilton next year and has agreed to join Williams, where instead of competing for race wins, the initial challenge will be to turn the team into one which scores points on a regular basis.

Sainz won two races in 2024 but, alongside Charles Leclerc, was unable to deliver the constructors’ championship for Ferrari, which was beaten by McLaren by just 14 points.

As Sainz aimed to catch race winner Lando Norris, he conceded that his mind had already started turning to how to improve Williams when he arrives in Grove.

Asked if it was hard to move on so quickly, Sainz replied: “Being very honest with you, I don’t think so. I think, I’m not going to lie, my last laps, as much as I was pushing like hell for this team and trying to, I was already starting to feel things in the car and trying to say, ‘remember how this feels’.

“Because tomorrow and Tuesday I need to remember, why is this car quick in this corner and why does it feel good? Because I know probably what I’m going to find tomorrow, and Tuesday needs some margin of improvement in the corners that I was feeling the car. So this just sums up that I’m already looking also ahead.

“I’m extremely motivated for the challenge that I have ahead of me. Today is a day to try and enjoy as much as possible with the team as my last day in red.

“We still have some days in Maranello coming up, but obviously my competitive mind is already looking forward to Monday and Tuesday and to see how I can make that Williams car faster.”

Williams struggled at the back end of the season, taking just one point from the final six races of the year and finishing ninth in the standings with only Sauber behind the team.

Not since George Russell’s second place at the truncated 2021 Belgium Grand Prix has Williams had a driver on the podium, and Sainz admits he cannot guarantee the next time.

“That is a question that I cannot answer,” he added.

“It’s impossible to predict the future, impossible to know how long it’s going to take me and Williams to be back fighting for podium positions.

“I think James [Vowles, Williams team principal] said it the other day and calmed everyone’s expectations, that next year is going to be a tough year and a learning year before we prepare for the change of regulations in ‘26, where I believe the team is investing and the team is preparing to maximise that chance.

“What I can tell you is that I’m as determined as ever to help that team to be back where it belongs. I personally feel like I belong to be fighting for wins, podiums and top fives in Formula 1. I think I’ve proven it these last four years as a driver. I think I belong to that. But Williams cannot forget that Williams also belongs to fighting for these top five and podium places.

“And together with the determination and the strength that I think we’re going to show together, the target is to get Williams and myself fighting for those positions in the near future, in the nearest future. How long that’s going to take, I cannot tell you.”