Carlos Sainz reiterates his "life project" ambition of bringing glory days back to Williams Racing

Carlos Sainz’s third-place finish in Baku last weekend gave Williams their first full-race podium in eight years. Speaking after the race, the Spaniard called his journey at Williams his 'life project', underlining his commitment to lifting the team back to the front of Formula 1.

The 31-year-old arrived at Grove this season after leaving Ferrari, where he was replaced by Lewis Hamilton. His switch was bold, turning down midfield offers to join James Vowles’ rebuilding project. But his early months were difficult. While teammate Alex Albon carried the bulk of the points, Sainz struggled for results despite strong qualifying form.

The Baku weekend changed that storyline. Starting from the front row and finishing third, he delivered his best performance in Williams colors, proving why he sees this as a long-term mission.

"For me, the vindication is not so much towards moving to Williams. I always believed in this project. I've said it many times, and I'll say it again, this is my life project," Sainz told Sky Sports F1 in an interview.

Williams were one of F1’s great powerhouses alongside McLaren and Ferrari, winning nine constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ championships between 1980 and 1997. But the past two decades have seen a steep decline, with Mercedes and Red Bull dominating. Between 2018 and 2024, they collected only 84 points combined.

Carlos Sainz of Williams in the garage at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve. Source: Getty

That narrative began to change when former Mercedes strategist James Vowles took over as team boss in 2023. With new leadership, fresh sponsors, including Atlassian in 2025, and a strategic plan targeting 2026’s regulation reset, Williams have slowly rebuilt their foundation.

"If I manage to bring Williams back to being competitive and winning races, it’s everything that I care about and I will put the next three years of my life, all my effort, into doing that and committing to that. I also know that I can do it, because I think I’m good at bringing the team forward," Sainz added.

This season’s haul of 101 points already surpasses Williams' total of the last seven years combined.

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Carlos Sainz trails Alex Albon as Williams find momentum before Singapore

Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz of Williams at the Baku City Circuit. Source: Getty

Carlos Sainz’s Baku podium was also a reversal of the season’s usual pattern. On the day Alex Albon failed to score, the Spaniard delivered his strongest drive of the year. For once, it was Albon who looked out of sorts while Sainz celebrated with his crew. Even so, the broader picture still leans toward the Thai driver. Albon sits on 70 points, compared to Sainz’s 31 after Baku.

Sainz has shown one clear advantage in qualifying. He now leads the head-to-head 9/8 after 17 rounds, but in races, he still trails Albon heavily by 13/4.

"This year has been extremely frustrating to not get results, things out of my control, things in my control, bad luck. I always said to the team, whenever the first chance that we get to fight for a podium, as long as nothing happens to us and we can score the podium, I’ll be happy. And that’s exactly what happened," Sainz told Sky.

Singapore now looms as the next challenge. It’s a track where the Spaniard has thrived, with two podiums in the last three years, including a famous victory in 2023. After a week’s rest, he and Williams arrive with momentum and belief. With seven races left, the team is chasing its best season in nearly a decade, and for Carlos Sainz, every lap is another step in making Williams great again.