Carlos Sainz has acquired over the years an esteemed reputation as a genuine team builder in F1, a quality that caught the attention of Williams team principal James Vowles who recently quizzed the Spaniard about his approach.
Sainz is embarking on a new chapter in his F1 career, having joined Williams after four years with Ferrari. While the move presents a fresh challenge, Sainz’s ultimate goal remains the same: winning.
The 30-year-old’s arrival at Williams comes with high expectations, not just for his driving prowess, but also for his ability to contribute to the team’s overall growth.
Vowles acknowledged Sainz’s experience with multiple championship-winning teams, namely McLaren and Ferrari, highlighting his reputation for strengthening the teams he’s been a part of.
It was this notoriety that led Vowles to grill his driver on this topic in a recent Williams video interview posted on the team’s YouTube channel.
“So you’re widely regarded up and down the pit lane…. first of all that there’s very few drivers that have the experience across multiple World Championship teams. That includes you at McLaren, at Ferrari, and after a period of time, here as well,” Vowles said.
“So what qualities do you think you have that make you stand out, that give you this reputation of someone that is here to build a team, to grow and that you’re part of a team dynamic against drivers that are fierce?”
A ‘Racing Freak’ with a Positive Spirit
Sainz, ever humble, expressed a reluctance to sing his own praises.
“I don’t know,” he replied. “I normally don’t like talking about myself or talking positively too much about myself, because I always find you can come out long, a bit arrogant sometimes or, let’s say, too much confidence.
“But I can just tell you that I always just give my maximum to every team. It doesn’t matter if it’s here at base or at the track.
“I always try and spend as much time as possible working together, trying to do it with a positive spirit which in the end try to bring happiness to the team, not only performance, but trying to bring a good atmosphere and try to transmit to everyone the passion that I have for this sport, which is enormous.
Sainz clearly wears his passion for racing and F1 on his sleeve.
“I love racing, I love traveling to these races, love spending time with my engineers, spending time looking at set-ups, looking at onboards, looking at everything.
“I am a bit of a racing freak, if you want to call it like that, and I like transmitting that to the people around me.”
Building a Strong Partnership with Albon
Sainz’s passion for racing is clear, and he believes this enthusiasm is contagious. He aims to bring not just performance, but also a positive atmosphere to the team.
Looking ahead to his partnership with Alex Albon, Sainz sees a kindred spirit.
©Williams
“I think in combination with Alex, I see him as a very easy going person similar to me, no bulls**t, no politics, whatever,” he added.
“And I think he’s a really good human being. I think in combination with the two of us, we can do a very strong partnership and help him to push this team forward with the right spirit.
“So honestly, looking forward to it.”
With a shared commitment to a positive and straightforward approach, Sainz is confident that he and Albon can form a formidable partnership and drive Williams towards greater success.
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