Carlos Sainz’s arrival at Williams excites experts, with his technical acumen and experience poised to elevate the team’s performance in 2025.
Sainz’s former race engineer, Tom Stallard, who worked with the Spaniard at McLaren F1, shared insights on what Williams can expect from the driver when he joins the team next season. Stallard is confident Sainz will be a major asset.
Sainz spent two years working alongside Stallard during his McLaren stint in 2019 and 2020, a period in which he claimed his first two podiums.
Appearing on the Beyond The Grid podcast, Stallard was asked about the type of driver Williams will gain with Sainz ahead of his 2025 arrival.
“Carlos is a brilliant driver to work with,” explained Stallard, now Oscar Piastri’s race engineer.
“Carlos once told me, when we asked him what his dream job in Formula 1 was, that he’d choose race engineer before considering if being a driver was an option!”
“He loves the engineering and technical side of Formula 1. It makes sense, as his father, Carlos Senior, is the same way in rallying.”
“I think Williams will find someone eager to engage with their technical department, someone who will want to participate in engineering meetings and help steer them in the right direction. He loves all of that.”
Reflecting further on Sainz’s qualities, Stallard—who has worked with drivers like Jenson Button and Daniel Ricciardo—continued: “Carlos is probably, of all the drivers I’ve worked with, the one I’ve stayed closest friends with after we stopped working directly together.”
“He’s a really easygoing and enjoyable person to be around. He can be demanding when he needs to be—exactly the kind of person you want to work with in that context.”
“But he’s funny, a bit quirky, and he’ll undoubtedly be a major asset for the Williams team. I think he’ll help them a great deal.”
James Vowles, the Williams team principal, has made no secret of his belief that Williams will have the best driver lineup on the grid in 2025 when Sainz pairs with Alex Albon.
Vowles justified his statement by highlighting that “Sainz has helped improve every team he has driven for.”
“He certainly improved McLaren—he was brilliant at McLaren,” acknowledged Stallard.
“When he joined McLaren—after being dropped by Renault at the time—his reputation in Formula 1 wasn’t that high. He contributed significantly to our progress when we really needed it, and in return, I think we helped re-establish him as one of the best drivers in Formula 1.”
“So yes, I think it’s true. He’s clearly helped Ferrari as well. They are a significant challenge for us in the Constructors’ Championship right now, and a lot of that credit should go to him.”
“It’s probably a fair statement about Carlos, though it’s harder for me to comment on his time at Toro Rosso and Renault, as I didn’t follow him closely until he joined McLaren. That’s when I thought, ‘Oh, he’s actually quite good.’”
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Sainz-Albon Duo: Williams’ Key to 2025 Success Sainz-Albon Duo: Williams’ Key to 2025 Success
