Williams boost Carlos Sainz F1 2025 preparations with private test

Carlos Sainz has ramped up his preparations for his debut F1 season with Williams in a private test in Spain.

The Spaniard piloted the team’s 2023 car - the FW45 - at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Sunday to rack up more mileage as Williams took the opportunity to help get Sainz up to speed with some TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) running.

Under F1’s revised TPC rules, drivers competing in the world championship are limited to 1,000km spread over a maximum of four test days over the course of the season.

Similarly, Ferrari have capitalised on TPC rules to help Lewis Hamilton gear up for his first campaign with the Scuderia after the seven-time world champion replaced Sainz for 2025. 

Unlike Hamilton, Sainz was able to made an early debut for Williams in the post-season test in Abu Dhabi in December after Ferrari agreed to an early release for the four-time grand prix.

Williams confirmed Sainz took part in some private running alongside new teammate Alex Albon at the Spanish Grand Prix venue on Sunday but provided no further details about the test.

The Grove-based squad will unveil their new car on Valentine’s Day at Silverstone, with both Sainz and Albon expected to conduct an initial shakedown of the FW47 for filming and promotional purposes.

Beyond that, it is unclear whether Williams will complete any further running before official F1 pre-season testing which takes place in Bahrain from 26-28 February.

Sainz ‘fitting in perfectly’ at Williams

Sainz has been working at Williams’ Grove factory since January and team principal James Vowles says his impact is already being felt.

"He's relishing it," Vowles told Autosport at the Autosport Awards earlier this week.

"You could see from the moment he jumped in the car in Abu Dhabi, his mind switched. This is where he wants to be, this is what he wants to do, he's part of our success story. He's fitting in perfectly.

"He's a brilliant personality who, with him, brings not only race-winning pedigree but this want and desire for Williams to be successful.

"I was there with him this morning, with Alex and myself, for three, four hours – just talking through plans for the year, what we've changed, where we're going.

"His contributions – as are Alex's as well – are absolutely key for driving this team forward, because it's now into a level of detail where you're starting to chase milliseconds as opposed to the big-ticket items we work for.

"Already in the space of just a few weeks, real positive momentum from ideas, concepts, how we can change, how we can move forward, is coming."