The 2025 Formula 1 season is set to start this week, with its first race in Melbourne, Australia. Spanish driver Carlos Sainz unexpectedly lost his seat to Lewis Hamilton when the seven-time champion made a shocking move to the Scuderia.

Left without a seat, Sainz was probably the most sought-after driver for some time. Williams, Sauber, and Alpine all showed interest in him, eager to sign a highly-respected driver for a long-term goal of gaining spots in the Constructors’ ranking. Even Mercedes F1 CEO, Toto Wolff, admitted he seriously considered offering Sainz a seat for the 2025 season.

Sainz had a tough choice to make. Both Williams and Alpine, the two teams the Spaniard genuinely considered, had a tough season in 2024. Williams finished last season in ninth, while Alpine finished in sixth. Looking at long-term prospects, Sainz ultimately chose Williams, a team with one of the richest legacies in Formula 1 history.

2025 Pre-Season for Williams

The 2025 pre-season testing took place in Bahrain on February 26-28. Remarkably, Sainz set the fastest lap time on Day 2 of testing in Williams’ FW47, three thousandths of a second ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari.

Sainz emphasized that it is unlikely that it means Williams is ready to compete directly with the big teams—Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren, and Mercedes, but that results remain impressive. “I saw that it was a better car and a better team than I expected,” he said.

Sainz’s teammater, Alex Albon, is another key piece of Williams’ goals. Albon has built a strong reputation in Formula 1, consistently delivering solid results with the car he has driven in recent seasons, noticeably outperforming his former teammates.

Williams Racing’s team principal James Vowles has expressed satisfaction with Albon’s response to Sainz’s arrival. Albon has admittedly encouraged the team to sign Sainz, aiming for better results for the team in the upcoming years.

The improvements to the FW47 seen in pre-season testing suggest Williams could be a midfield contender, but the team remains realistic on their true potential.

Williams Is Focused on Winning

Vowles has made it clear that his team’s focus remain on long-term goals, with 2026 representing a major reset. With two experienced drivers, Williams now experiences its strongest line up in a while. 

“Everyone is aligned, and that includes Carlos and Alex, that we want to be winning championships and for that we can't keep giving a little bit towards now because it looks better,” Vowles said.

With impressive results in the 2025 pre-season testing and a renewed team mentality, Williams hopes its new driver duo can become a winning one with Sainz’s arrival.