Carlos Sainz was given an emotional send-off by Ferrari as he prepares for his transfer to Williams forward of the 2025 Formulation 1 season.
The Spanish driver has spent the final 4 seasons alongside Charles Leclerc on the Italian staff and shall be changed by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for the upcoming 12 months.
In his closing season with the Maranello staff, 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. Nonetheless, he now faces a brand new problem with Williams as he joins forces with Alex Albon to assist return the staff 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 guide each McLaren and Ferrari towards the entrance of the grid lately.
Whereas instant success within the Constructors’ Championship could also be out of attain, there may be loads of potential for long-term progress on the Grove-based staff.
Carlos Sainz’s Father Spins Ferrari F1 Automobile Throughout Farewell Laps
Based on former Haas staff principal Guenther Steiner, Williams has secured a “lottery win” by signing Carlos Sainz, whose race-winning expertise and deep information of automotive improvement shall be invaluable for a staff working to enhance within the midfield.
Nonetheless, the journey is not going to be simple. New staff principal James Vowles has acknowledged that the 2025 season will focus extra on studying and improvement than instant 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 vehicles across the legendary Fiorano check monitor. Ferrari’s press launch famous an amusing second throughout the farewell laps when Carlos Sainz’s father spun the automotive, however he shortly regained management and continued to finish laps with robust tempo: “Though he spun the automotive, Senior quickly discovered his rhythm, finishing a number of runs doing constant lap instances. At mid-morning, his son additionally went out on monitor, reacquainting himself with the automotive with which he took his maiden Formulation 1 win on the 2022 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.” – Ferrari’s press launch revealed.
Is Lewis Hamilton a Stronger Possibility for Ferrari Than Carlos Sainz?
Ferrari is at the moment adopting a “win now” mentality, having lastly developed a automotive able to competing persistently 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 right down to the wire at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this 12 months.
Whereas they weren’t as shut within the Drivers’ Championship battle, the addition of Mercedes’ star drivers, together with Lewis Hamilton, is anticipated to strengthen their possibilities on this space. Even Pink Bull’s Helmut Marko has praised Lewis Hamilton as “world-class,” acknowledging that the British driver has demonstrated for almost twenty years his skill to win and relentlessly problem his rivals.
Constructing a profitable partnership will take time, and it’ll depend upon the Maranello staff discovering a setup that fits Lewis Hamilton’s driving type. Nonetheless, if they can unlock that potential, it might propel the staff to new heights.
This potential for fulfillment is probably going a key purpose why the seven-time Formulation 1 world champion selected the Italian aspect, and it could clarify why the staff believes their probabilities of successful are larger with him onboard in comparison with Carlos Sainz.