How Sainz brought the “missing” ingredient to drive Williams forward

The arrival of Carlos Sainz at Williams provided far more than just a Formula 1 sporting boost, according to sporting director Sven Smeets.

The Spaniard’s move to the team is reportedly impacting everything from the development of the 2026 car, to sponsor interest and even the appeal of the Williams Driver Academy. 

Since the Spaniard joined Williams, Smeets spoke with admiration about the way Sainz has integrated into the team so quickly. 

“Carlos is a fantastic person to work with,” he told Autosport. “He’s made a big impact across the board – not just on the car and technical side, but also in how the race team operates and how we’re preparing for 2026. 

“His experience at multiple teams and in race-winning machinery has brought us something we were probably still missing.” 

While the beginning of the season required some adaptation, as the Spaniard’s move from Ferrari to Williams wasn’t without its challenges, Smeets is optimistic about the remaining races in 2025. 

“As he mentioned himself, he had to get used to the philosophy of our car,” Smeets explained. “There’s a big difference between our car and the Ferrari. But that’s going better and better now. He’s working really well with Alex Albon. We’re very happy, and I’m expecting a strong second half of the season.” 

One of the concrete benefits of Sainz’s arrival, according to Smeets, is the increased efficiency in how the team operates. 

“Both sides of the garage are now working at the same level – and more importantly, they’re working closely together,” Smeets said.  “We’re able to divide the workload better during FP1 and FP2, and combine the knowledge gained to decide what’s the best way forward for the rest of the weekend. That’s hugely valuable to us.” 

Smeets also highlighted the strong dynamic between Sainz and Albon. 

“On track, they’re competitors, but in the garage it’s all about teamwork – pushing the team forward, improving the car and supporting the factory with its development. We now have two drivers pushing the team hard, and they’re doing so in the same direction, which makes things a bit easier.” 

When both drivers end up with similar car set-ups, Smeets said, it’s often a sign that the team is heading in the right direction. 

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images via Getty Images

“We’ve found that if their set-ups aren’t far apart, that’s usually a good sign,” he explained. “If they go in different directions, it might indicate something’s not quite right.” 

But Sainz has brought more than just speed to the team, he’s also contributed fresh ideas and insights, as Smeets explained: “Over the first six months, he’s pointed out a lot of things we could do differently or better. Some are things we can only implement next year, but many short-term gains we’ve already adopted.” 

One practical example? “Preparing the tyres behind the garage – how you warm them and how you stack them,” said Smeets.  

“Some of Carlos’ previous teams did that slightly differently in wet conditions. It’s about small details, but they can gain you milliseconds. And when that adds up, it becomes a tenth. That’s when it starts to matter.” 

Sainz’s influence is also being felt away from the garage. Williams has seen a significant boost in fan engagement, merchandise sales and sponsor interest since his arrival. 

“We did a demo run with Carlos in Madrid. They expected 5,000 to 7,000 fans, but 25,000 showed up. It ended up being one of our best merchandise sales days ever,” Smeets said.  

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Photo by: Zak Mauger / LAT Images via Getty Images

Fan zones that Williams organises around certain grands prix have also seen rapid growth.

“When we started, they attracted around 500 to 1,000 fans. But if you look at the numbers we drew this year in Australia, Miami, Barcelona and London, those are now serious events in their own right,” said Smeets.  

Sainz is also proving to be a commercial asset, as he added: “We now have a title sponsor, and there’s strong interest from other parties too. Having two top drivers definitely helps.” 

Even the Williams Driver Academy is benefiting – albeit indirectly – from Sainz’s presence. 

“His arrival underlines how seriously we’re looking at the future, and that helps massively in our conversations with young drivers and their management teams. We’re now getting far more enquiries than before,” said Smeets, before adding that Williams remains selective for the programme. “We want to keep our focus on a handful of talents – ideally one per category. But Carlos has given a major boost to the entire project.” 

With Sainz’s arrival, Williams has found new momentum – his presence proving a catalyst as the team sets its sights on a return to the front of the grid. Not only has the team secured a fast and experienced driver, but someone whose work ethic, technical feedback and reputation are helping elevate the entire operation. And, if you ask Smeets, this is just the beginning. 

“We’ve taken a big step forward in every area with Carlos onboard,” he explained. “And hopefully, we’ll continue to reap the rewards in the coming years.”