As Carlos Sainz prepares for a new chapter in his Formula 1 career with Williams, his former teammates Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc have shared their admiration for the Spaniard’s talent and their hopes for his future.
Both drivers, who have raced alongside Sainz during pivotal moments in his career, respectively at McLaren and Ferrari, witnessed his dedication and skills firsthand, both on the track and in the debriefs.
They know that Sainz possesses the qualities of a top driver, one who deserves to be fighting at the front. But the Spaniard’s move to Williams undeniably marks a significant shift for the four-time Grand Prix winner.
Having been forced to leave Ferrari at a time when the team is trending higher, Sainz now faces the challenge of helping Williams return to prominence in Formula 1.
While podium finishes may be out of reach for the Grove-based squad in 2025, his arrival brings optimism for a brighter future.
Norris began by acknowledging Sainz’s replacement at Ferrari, one Lewis Hamilton, but the Briton quickly shifted his focus to Williams’ new recruit.
“The next driver who’s coming in [at Ferrari] is also pretty handy,” Norris started. “It’s different. I mean, Carlos is someone I know well. And I’ve started racing in Formula 1 with Carlos. You always knew he was going to be there.”
Norris highlighted Sainz's competitive spirit, recalling their battles on track.
“He was always going to put up a good fight as we saw in Abu Dhabi. In all of my meetings that day, I was saying to the guys, like, let’s be careful of Carlos, OK? Because I was ready for him to attack a lot and put up a good fight.”
Norris then turned his attention to Sainz’s future with Williams.
“He’ll be back. Williams have been improving a lot. They’ve not had someone with a lot of genuine experience from a top team. Carlos will for sure add to that and propel the team forwards even more,” Norris noted.
“They’ve gone under a lot of changes in the last few months and year or so. Even this year, there were sometimes when Williams were very quick.”
The McLaren driver also expressed hope for Williams's progress.
“I’m expecting to still see him on track. I’m sure next year, Williams will take a good step forwards from where they are now. We don’t know when they’ll be fighting,” he said.
“Even in 2026. It’s just over one year away from now, but 2026 is a year where anything can happen. Williams can be at the top all of a sudden. So we’ll wait and see.”
Norris concluded by emphasizing Sainz’s worth:.
“But it’s a shame because I think he’s proven himself enough in Formula 1 that he deserves a good seat,” he said.
“He deserves to fight for championships and wins and those types of things and it’s a shame when that opportunity is lost. But it’s not because he’s not got talent or he’s not got the ability, right?
“It’s because it’s the biggest name in Formula 1 who wants his seat. And yeah, we’ll see in the future what it takes. See how Lewis does in Ferrari with Charles and against Charles.
“But he’s proven himself enough. So I don’t think anyone needs to doubt him. And I’m sure his time will come back again and he’ll help Williams fight back to the top.”
Leclerc echoed Norris’s sentiments, emphasizing Sainz’s contributions to Ferrari.
“I completely agree,” Leclerc said. “I think Lando and myself are probably the two best persons to speak about it, because we’ve been sharing the same team with Carlos for many years.
“And I can tell you, Carlos is so incredibly talented. He’s helped me to improve in so many areas, his work ethic, his talent, just everything he brings.
“The discipline he has, he’s been just such an incredible team-mate. And I think, I will repeat myself, but if today we have done such a step forward in a year and in these four years, it’s a big thanks to Carlos.
“He’s just been extremely quick. And in Formula 1, as Lando said, some things you don’t really have explanations for. There’s also luck that is involved to be at the right place at the right time and Carlos definitely deserves to be in a top team.”
Like Norris, the Monegasque expressed his confidence in Sainz’s future, believing he will return to the front of the grid.
“But I’m sure that it’s just a matter of time before he comes back and joins us to fight for wins. He will give so much to Williams, the way he’s so sensitive to every small change and every small feeling there is in the car.
I’m pretty sure that already showed in the test, they will have a lot of valuable feedback that will help them for next year.”
The Ferrari charger also shared his personal feelings about their time together.
“I’ll definitely miss the fights,” Leclerc added. “We’ve had our moments on track, but that’s only because we were fighting so close together and because he’s been pushing me all the way.
“And it’s been an absolute pleasure. And of course, in some moments, in the actual moment, in the present moment, there’s frustration.
“But I’m sure that, and actually already now, I’m looking back at those moments with a lot of positive memories. And I wouldn’t be the driver I am today without him as my team-mate in the last four years.”
“So yeah, it’s been a really big pleasure and four years that I will be looking back in the most positive way. And I wish him the best. But as I said, I have no doubts that he will be back at the top of the grid, whether it’s with Williams by his input or with someone else.
“But he deserves that. I think everybody knows that. And it’s just a matter of time before he comes back.”
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