Every detail counts in F1, and for Carlos Sainz, that’s especially true – he’s been fascinated by the technical aspect of the cars he pilots on track for years. His former track engineer, Tom Stallard, recently shared some insights into Sainz’s approach, saying that Williams will have a pilot who’s deeply invested in the technical department, always wanting to be in every meeting and pushing the team in the right direction.
According to Stallard, Sainz is a brilliant person to work with, and at one point, he even mentioned that his ideal job in Formula 1 would have been as a track engineer if he hadn’t become a race pilot. It makes sense, given his father’s background in rallies – Sainz loves the technical side of things. This passion for the technical aspect is something that could give Williams an edge, especially considering Sainz’s experience with other teams.
After the presentation of the FW47, Sainz confessed that all the technical information he gained from Ferrari, no matter how small, is already being applied by his new team in Grove. As a pilot, he’s not bound by the same rules as engineers, so he’s free to share his knowledge with his new team without any restrictions – the so-called ‘gardening’ rule doesn’t apply to him. That’s why Sainz wasn’t allowed to attend meetings about the SF25, Ferrari’s 2024 car, but he was still involved in discussions about the SF24, which ended up being one of the most balanced cars on the grid, especially in terms of tire degradation.
Sainz himself has said that he’s already bringing a lot of information from his time at Ferrari, and that he’s had many conversations with his new team about how to apply that knowledge. He’s impressed by how willing the team is to listen to him and ask questions – everyone feels free to speak up, and their meetings often run longer than planned. He’s also working closely with Alex, who’s been open with him about the secrets of the 2023 and 2024 cars, which is helping them combine their feedback and find the right path forward. As Sainz put it, he sees motivation and emotion in his new team, and people who want to move this process forward as quickly as possible – without going into technical details, he thinks that everything he’s said is being applied and can have an impact soon.
The fact that Sainz is so hands-on and willing to share his knowledge could be a major advantage for Williams, especially when it comes to fine-tuning the FW47. He’s been able to bring a fresh perspective, and his experience with Ferrari’s cars has already started to pay off – the team is exploring new improvement routes, from suspension and steering to tire wear and overall performance. As Sainz gets more comfortable in his new role, it’s likely that we’ll see even more innovations and adjustments, all of which could help Williams gain a competitive edge in the coming season.