Carlos Sainz has conveyed his hope that he will be able to implement increased technical input at Williams, in what will be his second Formula 1 season with the team.
The Spaniard helped the Grove-based squad secure its best Constructors’ Championship finish and points haul in years in 2025.
Sainz overcame a tricky first half of the campaign to claim two podium finishes in Baku and Qatar respectively, which took the team to fifth place, ahead of its midfield rivals.
After initially struggling with the FW47 compared to team-mate Alex Albon, Sainz utilised his years of experience to maximise the most of the package as the season wore on.
And with a full year of integration under his belt, Sainz is keen to get stuck in to help the car’s successor – the FW48 – challenge for honours in 2026, both in and out of it.
“First of all, I cannot wait to also have an influence on the design of the car,” the 31-year-old told media including Motorsport Week.
“The setup philosophy, and the direction that the car can take into next year, to make the drivers feel a bit more comfortable or a bit more at ease from the get-go from the baseline of the car that we put on track.
“We can do steps forward already on that side, but I think once the season starts, the driver is going to have more of an influence on software development with HPP [High Performance Powertrains], in this case, Mercedes.
“I think the power unit is going to be a huge thing, and having two experienced drivers like Alex and, in that sense, could help.”
Sainz’s first taste of the new car will come in just a few weeks, as he and Albon will put it through its paces at the first pre-season test programme at Barcelona.
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