Carlos Sainz “calm” amid quiet start to F1 season with Williams

Carlos Sainz has said he is calm amid a quiet start to his 2025 season with his new team, Williams. The driver has not been able to make a telling impact so far this season, with him finishing in points in only one out of the three races.

Sainz moved from Ferrari to Williams for the 2025 season after delivering great results in 2024. He feels it is a good thing that people expect him to be up to the pace from the start of the season, as it means they value him. The Spaniard had a crash in his debut race for Williams at the Australian Grand Prix.

F1 Grand Prix Of Australia - Source: Getty

Sainz said that after the Bahrain test, he felt that he was nowhere near the level where he wants to be and expects himself to perform. He expressed that he is calm and shared hope that the performance will come.

"I was the first one after the Bahrain test, when I was P1, I was like I am nowhere where I need to be still with this car to perform at the level that I want to perform. So, I was the first one calming down expectations and knowing that the first quarter of the year is gonna be tough," Carlos Sainz said.

Carlos has scored only one point for the team by finishing P10 at the Chinese Grand Prix; his partner, Alex Albon, on the other hand, has scored 18 points this season. Carlos praised Alex's abilities and expressed that it would take him some time to get to that level.

He also expressed that people do not understand the sport if they expect to see the best of Sainz in Williams in the third race itself, adding that it takes some time for a driver to get fully accustomed to a new team and car.

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Carlos Sainz on paying a fine during the Japanese Grand Prix

Carlos Sainz had to pay a €10,000 fine for missing the national anthem during the Japanese Grand Prix. The 30-year-old driver finished P14 in the race after qualifying 12th.

To add to his misery, he had to pay the fine for being just five seconds late for a toilet break and missing the national anthem.

"I was 5 seconds late and now have to pay €10,000... I don't even know if I'm gonna get another fine for saying this, but s*** happens, no?" Carlos Sainz said while talking to the media (via ESPN).

Sainz also expressed that he is the biggest supporter of punctuality, especially during a national anthem with all the authorities present there. He said that he was the first one to put his hand up and apologize for the incident.