Vowles hails positive momentum Sainz already bringing to Williams

With his Ferrari Formula 1 career now behind him, Sainz has started work at the Williams factory after taking part in their post-2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix test.

When attending the Autosport Awards, Vowles was asked about his new driver, who is now fully immersed in his Williams career. He responded: "He's relishing it.

"You could see from the moment he jumped in the car in Abu Dhabi, his mind switched. This is where he wants to be; this is what he wants to do; he's part of our success story. He's fitting in perfectly.

"He's a brilliant personality who, with him, brings not only race-winning pedigree but also this want and desire for Williams to be successful.

"I was there with him this morning, with Alex [Albon] and myself, for three, four hours—just talking through plans for the year, what we've changed, where we're going," the Briton revealed.

Going further, Vowles explained the area Sainz is adding value; he said: "His contributions—as are Alex's as well—are absolutely key for driving this team forward, because it's now into a level of detail where you're starting to chase milliseconds as opposed to the big-ticket items we work for.

"Already in the space of just a few weeks, real positive momentum from ideas and concepts, how we can change, and how we can move forward is coming," he claimed.

While Sainz is not known for blistering pace, he has proven to be a smart F1 racer, holding his own well against formidable teammates such as Max Verstappen, Lando Norris, and most recently Charles Leclerc at Ferrari, and has built a reputation for pushing the teams he has driven for forward.

Hinting at that, Vowles said: "He also doesn't leave a stone unturned. I mean, there's a statistic up on the F1 channel today where you look at all the teams he's been to and where they've ended up.

"It's not a coincidence. He's a hard worker, a diligent worker that brings with him success—and he wants us to be successful," the Williams team principal concluded.

(Quotes from Motorsport.com)