Carlos Sainz has officially begun his journey with Williams Racing, taking the FW47 out for its first laps at Silverstone ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
The team’s season launch event on Friday was filled with excitement as Sainz got his first taste of his new machine following his switch from Ferrari.
The FW47, featuring a striking one-off livery celebrating new title partner Atlassian, made its track debut with Sainz behind the wheel. After a brief installation lap, the Spaniard returned to the garage with an initial assessment, describing the experience as positive.
“I can tell you everything went fine, which is good news,” Sainz told 2009 F1 champion Jenson Button. “An install lap of a newly born car is always a bit tricky, but everything worked as it should. Now we’re ready to get into the run plan.”
The 29-year-old emphasised the importance of immediate feedback, noting that his focus would now shift to working with engineers to fine-tune the car.
“I need to give the feedback on the two or three things that I felt could be improved—the feeling inside the cockpit and everything I want to talk to them about,” he said. “Then we’ll get the car ready to run on slicks and probably start pushing it little by little.”
A short offseason and a fresh start for Sainz
Sainz’s move to Williams marks a significant change after four years with Ferrari, where he secured multiple race wins. His transition to Grove meant a shorter offseason, with preparations beginning early to ensure he was fully integrated into the team.
“It’s been a shorter break, but also when you change teams, that break becomes even shorter because you have to go back to work earlier,” he explained.
“There’s a lot of catch-up you need to do, and I’ve been spending quite a bit of time here in the UK getting up to speed with my new team.”
Williams’ lighthearted launch event
The FW47 launch wasn’t just about the car—it was also an opportunity for the team to showcase its personality. Sainz and teammate Alex Albon took part in Valentine’s Day-themed activities, where they amusingly revealed their preference for sleeping without pyjamas. Meanwhile, team principal James Vowles was tested on both physics and Love Island trivia in a segment called “James’s Big Throbbing Brain.”
Despite the lighthearted atmosphere, the launch signified the beginning of an intense period of preparation. As Albon reflected on his time with Williams, he expressed optimism about the team’s direction. “It’s almost comforting to know that other people are believing in the journey that Williams is on,” he said.
With pre-season testing in Bahrain set to begin on February 26, Sainz’s focus will now shift to extracting performance from the FW47 as Williams aims to climb the competitive order in 2025.
Feature Image Credit: Williams Racing
