The motorsport world witnessed a significant transition as Carlos Sainz made his debut for Williams during the official post-season test in Abu Dhabi. After a private session with the Williams FW46 on Monday, Sainz hit the track again on Tuesday for a more public outing, marking the beginning of his journey with the British team.
Sainz’s First Outing with Williams
Sainz’s initial appearance was marked by a plain white race suit and an unbranded helmet, emphasising the fresh start with his new team. Completing seven laps in his first run, Sainz clocked a best time of 1:26.484. This is in contrast to his 1:22.824 qualifying time for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix just days earlier with Ferrari, under notably different conditions.
The testing conditions at Yas Marina Circuit allowed for teams to enter two cars, providing the Spaniard with an early jumpstart on preparations for the 2025 season. As an active race driver, Sainz had the opportunity to test the homologated 2025 Pirelli tyres, a product of his previous stint with Ferrari. Over the testing period, Sainz had access to ten sets of tyres, including the new ultra-soft C6 compound slated for the 2025 range.
Sainz’s Transition to Williams
This move comes after Sainz vacated his Ferrari seat for Lewis Hamilton, who is set to join the Italian team alongside Charles Leclerc. Sainz’s journey through Formula 1 is notable, having started with Toro Rosso (now AlphaTauri), then moving to Renault, McLaren, and Ferrari before his current role at Williams.
Other Notable Drivers at Abu Dhabi Test
In line with tradition, rookie drivers were also given the spotlight at Yas Marina Circuit. Luke Browning, a notable Formula 3 race winner, was nominated by Williams as the designated rookie and ran the 2024 specification Pirelli tyres, with choices between C3, C4, and C5 compounds.
In parallel, Yuki Tsunoda from Red Bull Racing was provided his first chance to drive the RB20 car. With Red Bull still undecided on Sergio Perez’s future with the team, Tsunoda’s performance is under close scrutiny. Despite the anticipation surrounding Tsunoda, it is likely that Liam Lawson may get the opportunity to ascend to the Red Bull team should they choose to part ways with Perez after 2024.
Looking to the Future
Track action, which began early morning, is set to continue throughout the day until 6 pm, offering ample opportunity for drivers and teams to gather valuable data and insights.Read more about the driver line-up for the 2024 season test here.
