Carlos Sainz admits being “a little angry” in the face of Williams’ decision to abandon any development of her Formula 1 of this year.
After a first period of difficult adaptation, Spanish finally takes its marks after four years at Ferrari.
Obvious by Lewis Hamilton, his options for 2025 were mainly limited to teammates, but James Vowles, the director of Williams, believes that the final choice of Sainz has now proven to be judicious.
“I am very proud that Carlos believed me and I hope that the world will see what he has seen now. Carlos is a key element of our progress this year and here in Miami he demonstrates for the 2nd weekend in a row what driver it is really. His integration and adaptation took the time he announced.”
However, this progress is now likely to stop completely, Sainz having deplored that any development of the Williams 2025 had been stopped.
“I think this car has a lot of potential,” He explained to Miami after his excellent qualification in front of his teammate and the Ferrari.
“If we could really develop it and apply the improvements I could ask the team in a blower, and improve two or three points on the car that are not yet very good, I am convinced that the team could make huge progress.”
“Our decision is not to invest in this year’s car and to devote all the budget and the hours of the car to the 2026 car and to focus on this.”
“It even puts me a little angry, because when we realize that we are three tenths of pole position and that we still see the great potential that awaits us, for only my sixth race, and with a car that still has several points that disappoint me, I would like to see what we would be able to do.”
-“But for this year, I think that is best that we can hope. Circuit after circuit, we will do a little better or a little worse, but that’s how it is.”
Sainz said that he still supported Williams’ approach, while his director explained that the latest new parts planned for the FW47 will soon arrive.
“We have performance in preparation. A change of rules will take place during the ninth race: everyone will have to change their front ailer, and we will take advantage of it to improve performance. Then we will improve some small things, but not much. We will simply progress on small details discovered in recent months.”
“But the real objective is 2026. Everything we will make slightly the performance of the car this year, but nothing will be sacrificed for 2026.”
And Sainz understands that the long -term profits from stopping the development of his 2025 car are largely exceeding the possible results gains this year if the stable slowed down certain development efforts.
“I said to him, ‘What can we do more on 2025? At least a little? How many CFDs? How much blower?’ But I appreciate James because he is a man with a very clear plan and he will invest 100 %. He has confidence in his feeling, in his plan, in his project, and I support it.”
“This is why I got involved in James, individually, but also to Williams as a team, because I see a project, a very clear ambition, very clear objectives, and we have to get involved and stand there.”
“He also promised me that this year’s car would be better than last year and, so far, he has kept his word.”
“I am happy that it goes in the right direction.”
