Carlos Sainz Jnr has revealed he was already fascinated with his first take a look at for Williams as he accomplished his ultimate grand prix for Ferrari on Sunday.
Williams’s new driver had his first run of their automotive lower than 24 hours after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the similar observe. He’s additionally driving for the workforce right now within the post-season take a look at at Yas Marina.
Sainz completed the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in second place, 5 seconds behind winner Lando Norris. He stated he spent the ultimate laps considering forward to his first runs for his new workforce Williams in an effort to take advantage of the chance to match the 2 vehicles.
“On my final laps, as a lot as I used to be pushing like hell for [Ferrari] and attempting, I used to be already beginning to really feel issues within the automotive and attempting to say ‘keep in mind how this feels’,” he stated after the race on Sunday. “As a result of tomorrow and Tuesday I would like to recollect why is that this automotive fast on this nook and why does it really feel good.”
He’s transferring from the workforce which completed second within the constructors’ championship to the workforce which completed second-to-last. Williams scored simply 17 factors to Ferrari’s 652.
“I do know in all probability what I’m going to search out tomorrow and Tuesday wants some margin of enchancment within the corners that I used to be feeling within the automotive,” Sainz acknowledged.
“So this simply sums up that I’m already wanting additionally forward. I’m extraordinarily motivated for the problem that I’ve forward of me.
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“At this time is a day to attempt to take pleasure in as a lot as potential with the workforce as my final day in pink. We nonetheless have some days in Maranello arising, however clearly my aggressive thoughts is already wanting ahead to Monday and Tuesday and to see how I could make that Williams automotive quicker.”
Williams final achieved a podium end within the weird 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, which consisted of solely a single lap behind the Security Automotive. That was its first rostrum end since 2017.
After scoring the twenty seventh top-three end of his profession final weekend, Sainz stated it’s “unimaginable to foretell” when he and new workforce mate Alexander Albon can be able to battle for comparable outcomes.
“I feel James [Vowles, team principal] stated it the opposite day and calmed everybody’s expectations, that subsequent yr goes to be a tricky yr and a studying yr earlier than we put together for the change of rules in ‘26, the place I imagine the workforce is investing and the workforce is getting ready to maximise that probability.
“What I can inform you is that I’m as decided as ever to assist that workforce to be again the place it belongs. I personally really feel like I belong to be preventing for wins, podiums and prime fives in Components 1. I feel I’ve confirmed it these final 4 years as a driver. I feel I belong to that.
“However Williams can’t neglect that Williams additionally belongs preventing for these prime 5 and podium locations. And along with the willpower and the energy that I feel we’re going to point out collectively, the goal is to get Williams and myself preventing for these positions within the close to future.”
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After six seasons of podium finishes, Sainz probably faces a protracted wait for an additional after being dropped by Ferrari to make approach for Lewis Hamilton. Nevertheless he stated he’s decided to make successful of his transfer to Williams.
“How lengthy it’s going to take, I can’t inform you,” he instructed media on Sunday. “However as I stated earlier than, I don’t assume you guys perceive and count on how motivated and the way a lot I’m truly wanting ahead to that problem.
“I do know that’s considered one of my qualities, to assist a workforce to carry out higher and to know which instructions to observe. And that truly motivates me, having a full workforce behind Alex and me pushing all in the identical course to make a historic workforce like Williams aggressive once more. It’s a problem that’s powerful to elucidate, however some folks don’t perceive how a lot I’m truly wanting ahead to it.”
Footage: Sainz’s first take a look at for Williams
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