F1 | Hamilton and Sainz increasingly united by the same “pain”
Carlos Sainz has spoken with remarkable honesty about the difficulties he has faced at the wheel of the Williams during the 2025 Formula 1 season, and it is inevitable to draw a comparison with the challenges Lewis Hamilton has encountered at Ferrari. After six consecutive races without scoring points, the Spanish driver admitted that the FW47 requires a “very particular” driving style which does not suit his natural preferences.
Speaking at Monza, Sainz explained: “I think I have been relatively comfortable with the car all year, but it is not a machine I love driving. It is not the kind of driving style that I really enjoy. There is something very specific that you have to do when handling this car.” Despite showing decent pace both in qualifying and on Sundays, the driver from Madrid underlined how the ability to translate that speed into solid results has been missing.
The Italian Grand Prix weekend also exposed technical setbacks. “At Monza we had battery problems throughout the race, something we did not face on Friday. Depending on how close I was to the car in front and on the temperatures, I was losing a lot of power,” Sainz revealed.
The parallel between Sainz and Lewis Hamilton
The internal comparison with Alex Albon is merciless: the Anglo-Thai driver managed to collect valuable points with a seventh place finish at Monza, while Sainz remains 54 points adrift with only eight races to go. After a remarkable 2024 campaign that included two victories in Australia and Mexico, his adventure with Williams is proving far more complicated than expected.
Sainz’s comments inevitably echo those of Lewis Hamilton, who took his place at Ferrari. The seven-time world champion also admitted that he has had to adopt what he described as an “alien driving style” in order to adapt to the SF-25 and its unusual engine braking system, which differs greatly from the one he was accustomed to at Mercedes.
Lewis Hamilton explained: “This year I arrive at the track and I have to apply this new driving style that still feels unfamiliar to me. It does not come naturally. I hope that next season this style will no longer be necessary, so I can return to the way of driving that I really enjoy.” His words underline how, in two very different contexts, both former teammates are struggling with cars that fail to highlight their natural talent.
For Carlos Sainz, the target remains to fight for at least one podium with Williams, although the technical limitations of the FW47 and the gap to Albon make the mission extremely challenging. The Spaniard, however, is not ready to give up: “It is simply about putting a result together, even though right now as a team we are struggling a lot.”
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