Carlos Sainz’s Early Doubts About Ferrari Are Now Proving Costly for Lewis Hamilton in 2025
As Lewis Hamilton endures a turbulent debut season with Ferrari in 2025, one former driver will be watching closely from a new vantage point: Carlos Sainz. The Spaniard, who was replaced by the Briton at the Scuderia, may feel vindicated as many of the team’s current challenges mirror concerns he previously raised before his departure.
Lewis Hamilton made the high-profile switch from Mercedes to Ferrari during the winter break, motivated by a desire to chase an elusive eighth World Championship with the sport’s most storied constructor. His arrival meant the exit of Carlos Sainz, whose future remained uncertain for several months before ultimately signing with Williams. That delay now appears to have worked in Carlos Sainz’s favor.
While the Spaniard has been slightly behind his teammate Alex Albon in terms of points so far in 2025, the struggles Ferrari are experiencing have cast a shadow over Hamilton’s move. Williams, under James Vowles’ leadership, has emerged as a consistent midfield force, far more competitive than expected — and possibly ahead of Ferrari in terms of momentum and direction.
Ferrari came tantalizingly close to the constructors’ title last year with Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc at the wheel. However, this season has marked a significant decline. Carlos Sainz had delivered a standout performance with a near-perfect victory in Mexico City in 2024. Yet, even then, he is believed to have expressed doubts regarding the team’s developmental trajectory.
Motorsport journalist Edd Straw recently suggested on The Race F1 Podcast that Carlos Sainz had been wary of the technical direction Ferrari pursued, particularly regarding chassis stiffness and aerodynamic balance. Unlike Charles Leclerc — who is more adaptable and capable of driving around understeer by adjusting his braking technique — the Spaniard preferred a more compliant and predictable setup. He reportedly believed that had his input been more fully considered, Ferrari might have avoided several of the missteps now hindering their progress.
Carlos Sainz’s concerns about Ferrari’s development before the 2025 season seem especially prescient given the team’s current struggles. Straw indicated that while Carlos Sainz’s feedback might not have single-handedly transformed Ferrari into title winners, his technical understanding and ability to guide car evolution could have helped prevent the developmental cul-de-sac the team now finds itself in.
This technical insight is precisely what Williams sought when they signed the former McLaren and Ferrari driver. James Vowles recognized the Spaniard’s track record of elevating each team he has driven for. In fact, all four of his previous teams — Toro Rosso, Renault, McLaren, and Ferrari — made notable progress during or shortly after his tenure.
Upon joining Williams for post-season testing in Abu Dhabi, Carlos Sainz was said to be immediately impressed by the team’s culture and work ethic. More importantly, Williams have acted swiftly on his feedback. Though Albon is currently leading the team’s points tally, both drivers are aligned on development direction — something that continues to elude Ferrari in 2025.
Hamilton, for his part, has wasted no time in voicing his expectations for the SF-25. However, unlike at Williams, Ferrari appear less agile in responding to driver input. The team remains heavily data-driven and committed to predefined development paths, creating a disconnect between the engineering team and their drivers’ feedback.
The Scuderia now find themselves stuck in a difficult balancing act between trusting telemetry and responding to the driver’s instincts. Sainz, it seems, had already sensed this disconnect before leaving Maranello — and Hamilton is now experiencing its consequences firsthand.
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