Carlos Sainz Exceeds Expectations with Multiple Podiums in First Williams Season

After being replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, Carlos Sainz joined Williams with modest expectations, only to shatter them with a remarkable 2025 campaign. The Spaniard, who initially warned fans not to expect podiums, went on to score three rostrum finishes. His performances were instrumental in propelling Williams to its best Constructors' Championship finish since 2017.

Why it matters:

Sainz's season is a powerful testament to his driving talent and ability to extract maximum performance from a car that was not expected to compete at the front. It validates Williams' significant progress and establishes them as a serious midfield contender, while simultaneously putting Ferrari's decision to let him go under a harsh spotlight.

The details:

• Rocky Start: Sainz's season began with a first-lap retirement in Australia and a series of tough races, leading many to believe his preseason predictions would come true.
• Baku Breakthrough: The season's turning point came in Azerbaijan, where Sainz qualified second and held off Andrea Kimi Antonelli to finish third. It was Williams' first podium since George Russell in 2021.
• Consistent Contender: The Baku result was no fluke. Sainz followed it up with another third-place finish in the Austin sprint and capped off his season with a P3 result in the Qatar Grand Prix.
• Head-to-Head: Despite scoring 64 points to teammate Alex Albon's 73, Sainz held a significant qualifying advantage, outperforming Albon 14-9 in their grand prix head-to-heads.
• Season Incidents: His campaign wasn't without drama, including a race-ending crash with Antonelli at the US GP and a collision with Liam Lawson in Mexico.

Looking Ahead:

Sainz's stellar season has solidified his status as a top-tier driver, making him a highly sought-after talent for the future. For Williams, this performance provides a massive confidence boost and a strong foundation to build upon as they aim to close the gap to the front-runners. The results will undoubtedly add pressure on Ferrari to justify their driver swap and deliver a championship-winning car.