Carlos Sainz makes surprising claim about the key difference between racing for Williams and Ferrari

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Carlos Sainz has got his feet firmly under the table at Williams after moving over from Ferrari over the winter.

Williams won the driver market by signing Sainz on a long-term deal. His experience and winning mentality will, and is, proving valuable to the team alongside Alex Albon.

The Spaniard bought into the Grove outfit’s long-term project as he assessed his options for 2025. Sainz knew he would be leaving Ferrari before he had even jumped into their 2024 car, as Lewis Hamilton shocked the world with his announcement that he would be joining the Italian giants.

Sainz snubbed interest from Alpine and Flavio Briatore to put pen to paper on a contract with Williams. Many anticipated that the 30-year-old would be the one to lead the team forward.

However, thus far, it has been his teammate Albon who has been leading the charge. The Thai driver has 42 points to Sainz’s 13, having finished P5 three times in the opening 10 races.

Carlos Sainz says ‘every millisecond counts’ much more at Williams than Ferrari

Sainz won four races for Ferrari in his four-season stint in Maranello. The Spaniard came tantalisingly close to securing the team their first title since 2008, but he and Charles Leclerc came up 14 points short to McLaren in the constructors’ championship.

With Ferrari, the 30-year-old was with a team that was already competitive and had huge expectations to perform and win races. But it is an entirely different story for Sainz at Williams.

The team, under the guidance of James Vowles, are hoping to return to the front of the grid after years as a backmarker. Significant work has gone on behind the scenes as Williams look to be a competitive outfit under the 2026 F1 regulations.

Vowles has noticed a ‘palpable’ change at the factory as the team strives for success on and off the track. Speaking to DAZN ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, Sainz surprisingly stated that everything counts much more at Williams than at his previous employers.

“In this team, every millisecond counts. Much more than when you’re at McLaren or Ferrari,” he said.

READ MORE: Williams star Carlos Sainz’s life outside F1 from full name, girlfriend and height

Carlos Sainz is struggling at Williams as the team bank on success in 2026

Sainz is having an impact on Williams behind the scenes, but he is struggling to adapt to his new machine compared to his teammate. Albon has proved David Coulthard wrong as he has established an advantage over the Spaniard.

Sainz was ‘frustrated’ in Canada as he was told to protect the car after encountering issues during the race. He could only manage P10 while Albon retired.

The 30-year-old has time on his side to turn things around, with next season being an exciting prospect for the team. Williams are focusing on 2026 as they look to get an advantage on the new regulations.

But Sainz says Williams will not be ready to win races next year. The early signs are encouraging in Grove, but they have work to do before they can become a title contender.