Carlos Sainz baffled by Williams F1 change

Williams

Carlos Sainz baffled by Williams F1 change

Carlos Sainz managed to score his first point in China

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 25 March 2025 10:51

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Williams driver Carlos Sainz has reflected on a 'very tough' start to the Formula 1 season, admitting he is baffled as to where his own pace has gone.

Four-time grand prix winner Sainz joined the Grove-based outfit for the 2025 season and beyond, but has struggled to get the most out of the car so far, finishing outside of the points in Australia and China.

However, Sainz still managed to score his first point at the Chinese Grand Prix, after a 13th-place finish was converted into 10th when three drivers were disqualified post-race.

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It means that he sits 14th in the drivers' championship with one point, while team-mate Alex Albon is in sixth with 16 points.

Now, Sainz has bemoaned his pace at the start of the season, suggesting he's not sure where his own performance has gone.

"It's been a strange and very tough weekend on my side," Sainz said in Williams' weekend review. "To be honest, I'm a bit puzzled because since I jumped in the car in testing in Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, I was quick straight away, but I don't know where the pace and that feeling with the car has gone.

"We got the strategy right but lacked the pace to move forward, and fuel saving didn't help either. We have ten days now to analyse everything and put a plan in place to come back stronger in Japan."

Williams improve despite Sainz struggles

Albon managed to finish up in fifth and seventh in the first two races of the season, in what has been a fantastic start to 2025 for the team.

Sainz set the fastest lap of anyone during the three-day pre-season testing schedule at the Bahrain International Circuit, hinting that Williams may have an improved car compared to their ninth-place constructors' championship finish in 2024.

Now, Williams have matched the 17 points they acquired in 2024 in the first two races alone and stand above Ferrari in the constructors' championship, heralding a brighter future for the legendary outfit.

Although that has come to fruition in Albon's excellent performances, former Ferrari driver Sainz has struggled towards the back of the F1 grid, a far cry from his scintillating 2024 form that saw him claim two race victories in his final season with the Scuderia.

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Formula 1 Carlos Sainz Williams Australian Grand Prix Chinese Grand Prix Alex Albon