Williams Team Principal James Vowles Confident About Carlos Sainz’s Performance

After a four-year tenure with Ferrari, where he was eventually replaced by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, Spanish driver Carlos Sainz has joined the Grove outfit. Despite securing only one championship point so far, due to the disqualification of both Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in China, Sainz is working diligently to adapt to his new car.

Understanding the Adaptation Process

Speaking during the drivers’ press conference in Bahrain, Sainz acknowledged the time it takes for a driver to fully adjust to a new car: “If you expect to see the best of Carlos Sainz at Williams in the third race in a new car, then you don’t understand the sport very well or you [don’t] know how long it might take for a driver to actually get fully up to speed with the car and fully understand where the last tenth-and-a-half or two-tenths of each car lies.

He further explained his ongoing adaptation process, stating that he has yet to put together a full weekend with the car. However, he was quick in Australia and Suzuka, and even managed to be close to Alex Albon in qualifying, which he considers a good start to the season.

Team Principal’s Optimism

Despite these initial challenges, Williams team principal James Vowles remains optimistic about Sainz’s performance. He believes that Sainz will be up to speed shortly, stating: “I mean, I’ve said it already that there’s two ways to assess [the] performance of a driver.

Vowles praised Sainz’s in-car performance and his work ethic, which has contributed to the car’s speed. He also highlighted Sainz’s ability to develop teams and his role as a part-time strategist, which he believes has played a significant part in securing points for Williams.

When asked if Sainz’s difficulties have been exaggerated by the closeness of the field, Vowles replied: “I don’t think so. I use relative gaps, as does he.” He emphasized that the difference between Sainz and his teammate Alex Albon will be minimal when both are performing at their best.