Carlos Sainz is adamant that he will not struggle to adapt to his impending drop down the Formula 1 pecking order when he exits Ferrari to move to Williams in 2025.
Sainz’s spell with Ferrari will end once this campaign is over as it was revealed prior to this season that he will lose his place to seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton.
The Spaniard was in demand at several teams lower down the grid, but he decided to turn down Alpine and Sauber’s advances to sign a multi-term deal with Williams.
Sainz will arrive at a Williams squad that retains long-term aspirations to return to the sharp end but lies in eighth place in the Constructors’ Championship at present.
That will constitute a complete contrast to what he has experienced at Ferrari, where he has collected three race victories since F1’s regulation overhaul back in 2022.
However, Sainz is not concerned about the guaranteed short-term step back as he acknowledged that his career prior to Ferrari was spent not competing at the front.
Asked whether it will be tough to not be accustomed to chasing wins next season, Sainz told media including Motorsport Week last month: “No, because being very honest with you, I’ve been 10 years in Formula 1 and [for] eight years I haven’t fought for wins and two or three I have.
“So I’ve spent more time not fighting for wins than fighting for wins, and Formula 1 for me is a lot about extracting the maximum out of the car.
“The result is not purely dependent on the athlete and the driver, it’s depending on the machinery you drive.
“And it’s all about how am I going to also help Williams, how I’m going to help the project move forward, that really motivates me.
“It’s something I want to feel listened; I want to feel like I can help.
“And this in a historical team like Williams, when they have a clear vision and [are] super committed to bringing the team back to the front with very clear investment partners.
“It’s something that was important for me and the results for ‘25 I know they might not be wins or podiums, but I still think we can do a good job.”
Sainz admits uncertain future had a mental impact
Sainz has conceded that the protracted period between being told that he would depart Ferrari and choosing to switch to Williams had an impact on his mental state.
“It is not easy to both compete at a high level as a Ferrari driver and at the same time having to take such an important decision on your future,” he expressed.
“It did take a lot of space on my mind and I think I was always open and honest with you – not struggling, my results showed I wasn’t really struggling – but for sure it took energy out of my head, took mental energy.
“I remember going into the break once I took the decision with a bit of a relief feeling, thinking now okay I have to switch off, recharge my batteries, and come back for the next 10 races where my only focus will be on delivering 10 races for Ferrari without having to decide on my future and there will be plenty of time to think and talk about Williams after these races.”
