Carlos Sainz has kicked off his next F1 chapter as he officially making his debut with Williams in Tuesday’s post-season test in Abu Dhabi.
After concluding on Sunday his four-year stint with Ferrari with a runner-up spot on the podium, Sainz wasted no time getting down to work with Williams and acclimatizing to his new surroundings, having already taken the Williams FW46 for a spin at Yas Marina during a private filming run on Monday.
But Tuesday’s test session was the real deal. Donning a minimalist white race suit and a sponsorship-free helmet, Sainz turned heads for his clean, stripped-down look – a sharp contrast to the vibrant red livery he sported at the Scuderia.
Sainz’s arrival at Williams comes after a shake-up at Ferrari, where he made way for none other than seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
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The 30-year-old Spaniard has embraced the opportunity to spearhead the Grove-based outfit’s Williams' resurgence alongside Alex Albon, adding a wealth of experience as the British team aims to climb back into contention.
The move makes Williams the fifth stop on Sainz’s F1 journey. After his 2015 debut with Toro Rosso, he spent time at Renault, McLaren, and then Ferrari, where he claimed at the 2022 British Grand Prix at Silverstone the first of his four career wins in F1.
Tuesday’s test isn’t just about settling into a new cockpit. Sainz is enjoying the privilege of running the Pirelli 2025-spec tyres – developed in large part by Ferrari, gaining valuable insights into the compounds that will shape the sport’s next phase.
However, the flexibility in the tyre testing program gives Sainz and Williams the freedom to focus on their 2025 preparations.
Sharing with Sainz the Williams garage in Yas Marina is young gun and F2 driver Luke Browning, the team’s designated rookie for the day. Browning is at the wheel of a second FW46 fitted with 2024-spec Pirelli tyres, adding a fresh dimension to the team’s testing lineup.
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