Motorsport Week
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
  • Formula 1
    • 2025 Formula 1 Calendar
    • 2025 Formula 1 Standings
  • Formula E
    • 2025 Formula E Calendar
    • 2025 Formula E Standings
  • IndyCar
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WRC
    • 2025 WRC Standings
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
  • MotoGP
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
  • WEC
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • IMSA
    • 2025 IMSA Calendar
  • World SBK
  • More
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
    • Technical Insight
    • Galleries
    • About/Contact
    • Privacy Policy
No Result
View All Result
Motorsport Week
Home Single Seater Formula 1

Carlos Sainz reveals the gap Williams is missing to be F1 podium contenders

by Taylor Powling
7 months ago
A A
Carlos Sainz believes the podium will evade Williams in 2025 - Credit: Williams

Carlos Sainz believes the podium will evade Williams in 2025 - Credit: Williams

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Carlos Sainz has admitted Williams being in podium contention in Formula 1 in 2025 would be a “surprise”, despite McLaren’s vow that a midfield team can win a race this season.

The upcoming campaign is well-poised to be among the closest the sport has seen at the sharp end as the top four teams were all victorious across the last five races in 2024.

However, the intense development race has created a vast divide between the leading quartet and the rest, with fourth-placed Mercedes 374 points above Aston Martin. 

Indeed, it wasn’t until November that a team outside Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes or Red Bull scored a podium, as both Alpine drivers capitalised on torrential conditions in Brazil.

RelatedPosts

Lando Norris could only managed seventh in qualifying for the F1 Azerbaijan GP

Why Lando Norris looks like ‘a loser’ after crucial McLaren qualifying ‘mistake’

1 hour ago
Oscar Piastri needed a lift back to the pits after crashing out of qualifying

Oscar Piastri accepts responsibility for ‘disappointing’ F1 Azerbaijan GP qualifying crash

2 hours ago

McLaren, though, believes the inevitable convergence that will continue to occur in 2025 might even inspire an unexpected race winner to emerge at some point this season. 

But Sainz, who was made to vacate a race-winning drive with Ferrari, estimates his new team Williams is at least three-tenths short of troubling the top three places on merit.

Put to him that it would be a surprise to be in the battle to score a podium at the season-opener in Australia next month, Sainz told media including Motorsport Week at the F1 75 launch event: “It would be a surprise, yeah. 

“I think you guys have seen and heard us already talk about this year and we’ve talked about a bit of a transition year, a preparation year to get ready for the opportunities that ‘26 might bring, to bridge that gap from the midfield where Williams was last year to the top four teams, even though that gap is smaller than ever because you could see in qualifying at times last year there were no more than three or four tenths among the top teams and the midfield teams, those three or four tenths are very difficult to find in this budget gap, very constrained regulations era, so I think it’s going to be a challenge to even get into I think top 10 positions with the competition there was last year in this part of the field.”

Carlos Sainz is prepared to capitalise on opportunities that might come to Williams in 2025 - Credit: Williams
Carlos Sainz is prepared to capitalise on opportunities that might come to Williams in 2025 – Credit: Williams

Sainz not expecting immediate Williams success

Sainz, who achieved two victories in his last campaign with Ferrari, has insisted he will be prepared to capitalise on opportunities that might present themselves during 2025. 

“So I’m ready for those fights and see what comes, if a podium comes in the season then I’ll be more than welcoming, but I’m not expecting to go into the first race fighting for podiums or even top fives,” he added.

The multiple-time race-winning Spaniard has been cited as an integral addition to the ongoing rebuild that Williams hopes will culminate in an eventual return to the front.

With the Grove-based squad without a single race win since 2012, Sainz expressed that it would be his “proudest” achievement to stand on the rostrum in Williams overalls. 

“I’m in my 10th year in Formula 1 and I’m joining Williams in a very important moment where it’s going through some key changes in its history and nothing would make me happier or more proud, it would definitely be the proudest moment of my career if one day I can be on a podium with this team,” he concluded.

READ MORE – Carlos Sainz: Mercedes power unit the ‘biggest change’ from Ferrari to Williams

Tags: F1SainzWilliams
Share344Tweet215Share

Related Posts

Lando Norris could only managed seventh in qualifying for the F1 Azerbaijan GP
Formula 1

Why Lando Norris looks like ‘a loser’ after crucial McLaren qualifying ‘mistake’

1 hour ago
Oscar Piastri needed a lift back to the pits after crashing out of qualifying
Formula 1

Oscar Piastri accepts responsibility for ‘disappointing’ F1 Azerbaijan GP qualifying crash

2 hours ago
Max Verstappen detailed how tricky it was to stay focused as he took pole in Azerbaijan
Formula 1

Max Verstappen details obstacles faced en route to stunning F1 Azerbaijan GP pole

2 hours ago
Load More

Discussion about this post

Upcoming Races

#EventDate
17Azerbaijan GP19-21 September
18Singapore GP03-05 October
19United States GP17-19 October
20Mexico City GP24-26 October
21São Paulo GP07-09 November

Click here for the full 2025 F1 calendar

Drivers’  Standings

#DriverPts
Oscar Piastri324
Lando Norris293
Max Verstappen230
George Russell194
Charles Leclerc163
Lewis Hamilton117
Alexander Albon70
Andrea Kimi Antonelli66
Isack Hadjar38
Nico Hulkenberg37

Click here for full Drivers’ Standings

Latest Articles

Lando Norris could only managed seventh in qualifying for the F1 Azerbaijan GP
Formula 1

Why Lando Norris looks like ‘a loser’ after crucial McLaren qualifying ‘mistake’

September 20, 2025
Oscar Piastri needed a lift back to the pits after crashing out of qualifying
Formula 1

Oscar Piastri accepts responsibility for ‘disappointing’ F1 Azerbaijan GP qualifying crash

September 20, 2025
Max Verstappen detailed how tricky it was to stay focused as he took pole in Azerbaijan
Formula 1

Max Verstappen details obstacles faced en route to stunning F1 Azerbaijan GP pole

September 20, 2025

Follow Motorsport Week

Join our daily motorsport newsletter

* indicates required

Motorsport Week

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd

Other Links

  • About & Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Motorsport Monday

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • Sign Up
  • Home
  • Formula 1
    • Latest News
    • 2025 F1 Calendar
    • 2025 F1 Championship Standings
  • Formula E
    • Latest News
    • 2025 FE Calendar
    • 2025 FE Championship Standings
  • MotoGP
    • Latest News
    • 2025 MotoGP Calendar
    • 2025 MotoGP Standings
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • WRC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WRC Calendar
    • 2025 WRC Standings
  • IndyCar
    • Latest News
    • 2025 IndyCar Calendar
    • 2025 IndyCar Standings
  • WEC
    • Latest News
    • 2025 WEC Calendar
  • Live Updates
  • Other
    • IMSA
    • Formula 2
    • Formula 3
    • F1 Academy
    • Moto2
    • Moto3
    • World Superbikes
  • Galleries
  • About/Contact
  • Privacy Policy

© 2024 Motorsport Media Services Ltd