Sainz will ‘give it my all’ in Baku to claim maiden Williams podium

Carlos Sainz is brimming with determination to claim his maiden podium finish with Williams in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, after a sensational second-place qualifying result on Saturday.

The former Ferrari star came agonizingly close to pole in a chaotic, red-flag-heavy session at the Baku City Circuit, only to be pipped by Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in the final moments of the top-ten shootout.

With a front-row start secured, Sainz is ready to seize the opportunity and make history for Williams in Sunday’s race.

Mastering the Mayhem for a Front-Row Triumph

Baku qualifying was a wild affair, with a record six red flags triggered by crashes from the likes of Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, alongside tricky winds and light rain.

Sainz, however, kept his cool, threading together near-perfect laps to put Williams in contention for a shock pole.

His banker lap in Q3 looked set to clinch the top spot amid the disruption, but Verstappen’s late charge relegated him to P2 – still Williams’ best qualifying result since George Russell’s second place in the rain-soaked 2021 Belgian Grand Prix.

“Very happy. We've nailed the qualifying today. Every time being on the right tyre at the right time and putting together some very strong laps,” Sainz said, reflecting on his stellar performance.

“Of course the moment that a top car put a lap together we were always going to be those four or five tenths behind, but it was only one of them, and it was Max - no surprise.

“For the rest, we managed to beat them. We're in P2, which is great news.”

Sainz’s confidence in qualifying has been a constant this season, and he credited the Williams car’s latent speed for his standout result.

“I've been putting good laps together this year in qualifying; it hasn't been an issue or my weakness at all. Again we proved that there is speed in this car and delivering in qualifying when it counts,” he said.

Despite a challenging season in terms of race results, Sainz remains optimistic.

“Unfortunately, the year in races and in points is not going the way we want but as long as the speed is there, like today proves, the good races will come and I'm not worried.”

No Regrets, Eyes on the Podium

Sainz harbored no illusions about holding onto pole, acknowledging that the top teams’ pace was always likely to edge him out.

“Not really [any regrets], because I knew my lap was good, but probably not good enough for pole,” he admitted.

“We know that if a McLaren or a Red Bull puts a lap together, that’s three to five tenths on average. And also if the track conditions were good enough - which was the big unknown - I knew my lap was not going to be good enough.”

Even as he started his final lap, Sainz sensed the potential for a remarkable result.

“I think our simulation said at the time maybe only Max and Lando could beat us. So I was thinking about a P3. In the end, it was only Max… It had to be Max!” he said with a wry smile.

“But, in general, I thought as soon as I started my lap at the end, I was actually coming very quick. I was like three or four tenths up on my lap.

“In one way, I was thinking, great, because this might even confirm or achieve pole, but then I was thinking the leaders are going to be even quicker, no? And that’s exactly what happened.”

• Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Qualifying results

Now, with a prime starting position, Sainz is laser-focused on converting his P2 into a podium, a feat Williams last achieved – in normal circumstances – in Baku with Lance Stroll’s third place in 2017.

“I'm going to give it my all to give Williams a first podium. We'll see,” he vowed.

With championship contenders Piastri and Lando Norris starting seventh and ninth, and Verstappen leading from pole, Sainz knows the race will be a battle.

But with Williams’ speed and Baku’s unpredictable nature, the Spaniard is ready to pounce and etch his name in the team’s history books.

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