Jacques Villeneuve believes Carlos Sainz has been key to transforming Williams’ fortunes in 2025, pointing out that every team the Spaniard has joined has benefited from his methodical approach and leadership traits.
Sainz impressed the Formula 1 world with a podium at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after qualifying P2 on an incident-packed weekend in which many pranged, including his former Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc and current Williams teammate, while he kept his cool. By the time the dust had settled in Baku, the Spaniard was P3.
On the day he beat both Ferrari drivers and scored a Grand Prix podium, with his new midfield team, before his replacement at Maranello, Lewis Hamilton has been able to do so in the SF-25, which was expected to be at the sharp end.
Analysing the state of the great Italian team, 1997 Formula 1 World Champion Villeneuve told OLBG Media Team that Ferrari’s decline without Sainz is evidence of the Spaniard’s value, while Williams are now enjoying the rewards of his arrival.
Villeneuve said: "Sainz had an amazing weekend and it was nearly on pole, wasn’t it? But then he drove well in the race, he survived there, and kept going for the podium. He’s always been a very mature, strong driver. He’s often been criticised for lack of pace, which is not the case.
The Smooth Operator
Villeneuve highlighted Sainz’s calmness under race pressure: “In a race situation when there’s pressure, he’s a cool cat. He’s all control, his voice is calm, he’s thinking, he doesn’t get overwhelmed by what’s happening around him.
"And when you’ve seen the season he’s had, it’s been a tough season, it doesn’t seem to have affected him. It’s probably eaten at him, it’s probably been stupidly tiring. But somehow, he’s always there, he just always comes back for more, which is a great attribute," said Villeneuve.
It should be noted that all the drivers who changed teams between the 2024 and '25 season, plus most of the rookies, have taken time (even struggled) to adapt to their new rides.
The 1997 World Champion pointed to a recurring pattern in Sainz’s career, where his work ethic elevated not only his own performance but also that of his teams and teammates: “When he’s joined a new team, it has taken him a while, half a season maybe, to get up to speed."
And up to speed he is getting, after a dismal start to the year, he now has the upper hand in Qualifying over Williams teammate Alex Albon but the Spanish driver's nine no points scores in 17 races means he is still lagging the Thai driver in the 2025 F1 drivers' standings for now.
Villeneuve: Every time Sainz left a team, that team went downhill
Villeneuve continued: "Carlos works at it. But in that period, he makes the whole team go better. That’s what happened in every team he’s joined. At some point, he’s often had a teammate that maybe was just a few hundredths quicker. But that teammate was quicker, also thanks to the work that Sainz was doing.
"But then Sainz became quicker than his teammate. Even when you look at Leclerc, Leclerc wasn’t ahead of Sainz at Ferrari like a lot of people want to think. And every time he left a team, that team went downhill. Every time. And it’s the same with Ferrari now.”
Williams’ upturn in form has been one of the stories of the season, culminating in Sainz’s podium in Baku. Villeneuve dismissed suggestions that the team’s progress was sudden, arguing it has been a product of steady development combined with Sainz’s influence.
Asked if the once great team built by Sir Frank is set for a McLaren-style revival in the near future, Villeneuve played down the hype: "No, Williams haven’t turned a corner because it’s been slow and gradual improvement."
Ferrari's loss is a gain for Williams
"Lately, Sainz has shown that he was up there, but something always went wrong like at Zandvoort. But if you don’t throw the toys out of the pram, then you’ll be fine. Right now, all this hard work is starting to pay off. It’s also a track that suited Williams," Villeneuve added.
He stressed that Sainz has every reason to remain committed to the project. “Sainz has to be quite happy with what’s going on at Williams. Because now he’s perceived as the team builder, as a great addition, and he’s loved there. So if you’re going to jump ship, you have to think twice.”
With Charles Leclerc struggling for consistency at Ferrari and the Scuderia sliding backwards since Sainz’s departure, Villeneuve sees a direct contrast with the momentum now building at Williams. The Canadian argues that the Spaniard’s ability to lift entire teams has been overlooked in the past but is now impossible to ignore.
As Williams target further points in the closing rounds of 2025, Sainz’s role at the centre of their revival could make him more valuable than ever and, as Villeneuve suggests, give him every reason to commit long-term to the team.
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