Carlos Sainz kicks off 2025 with first Williams F1 factory visit

Carlos Sainz has kicked off 2025 with his first visit to the Williams F1 factory ahead of the new season.

Sainz moves from Ferrari to Williams for the upcoming campaign after the Scuderia opted to sign Lewis Hamilton.

The Spaniard joins the British team after his strongest season in F1 to date.

Sainz picked up two victories as Ferrari narrowly missed out on the F1 constructors’ title, finishing 13 points behind McLaren.

As he starts work with his new team, Sainz was present at the factory in Grove.

He posted a picture in front of the team’s base on Wednesday, with the caption: “First day at Grove!”.

On his Instagram post, teammate Alex Albon replied: “Welcome to Grove, Carlos! Our coffee is extra smooth.”

Sainz is already making his mark in his new team with his intensive feedback.

Williams highlighted this in a recent video posted on their social channels.

Sainz was providing detailed feedback from his initial showdown in the 2024 Williams at the Yas Marina Circuit.

A tough year on the cards for Williams?

2025 could be another challenging year for Williams as they switch their focus onto the new regulations in 12 months.

Williams slipped to ninth in the F1 constructors’ championship in 2024, only finishing ahead of Sauber.

Williams boss James Vowles has insisted his team are fully focused on the future and that he’s prepared to sacrifice 2024 and 2025.

It means Sainz’s first year at Williams could be one to forget.

Still, Sainz will be keen to lend his experience to Williams as they aim to move back up the grid and ultimately challenge for podiums again.