When you concentrate on it, Carlos Sainz Jr. calling his first laps within the Williams FW47 “clean” simply is sensible.
Williams launched the FW47, the workforce’s challenger for the 2025 Formulation 1 season, at a particular occasion at Silverstone on Friday, the location of the British Grand Prix. The workforce unveiled the FW47 in a bespoke one-off livery that the workforce will use at this season’s British Grand Prix and can debut their primary look subsequent week at F1’s first-ever season launch occasion at The O2 in London.
Following the disclosing, each Sainz and teammate Alexander Albon put the FW47 via a shakedown session, with Sainz driving within the morning and Albon within the afternoon. Whereas February at Silverstone doesn’t supply up the best testing circumstances, Williams and Albon reported that the solar did peek via the clouds after lunch for his time within the cockpit.
Williams Staff Principal James Vowles praised the “progress” the workforce has made this low season, in addition to Williams’ “formidable” driver lineup.
“The primary run of the FW47 is the results of tens of 1000’s of hours of labor and a second of immense pleasure that symbolises the progress we’re making at Atlassian Williams Racing,” stated Vowles within the workforce’s media report. “We rolled out the automotive on the exact second we stated we’d, on reside tv, with a formidable new driver line-up and a incredible new title companion in Atlassian. There’s a lot to stay up for in 2025 and I can’t wait to go racing subsequent month.”
Chief Engineer Dave Robson supplied some technical suggestions, noting that the FW47 and its methods are “behaving as supposed” and that the workforce was in a position to full the deliberate program with out subject.
“As we speak we launched the FW47 at Silverstone and had the chance to shakedown the brand new automotive and to examine that the methods are behaving as supposed.
“Carlos and Alex shared the driving via the day, and between them had been in a position to full the permitted 200km with out subject. The automotive ran nicely and, having accomplished just a few cautious laps to examine that the whole lot was working appropriately, we had been in a position to push the automotive exhausting and ensure that there have been no main issues,” continued Robson. “Inevitably, we discovered just a few very minor points, however these will probably be shortly resolved earlier than we arrive in Bahrain, and so they didn’t have an effect on the working right this moment.
“Within the chilly circumstances, and utilizing the Pirelli promotional tires, it’s inconceivable to evaluate the efficiency of the FW47, nonetheless, the telemetry and driver suggestions means that the essential traits of the automotive are very near expectation and there are not any quick dealing with issues.”
Robson believes Friday’s session places Williams on a path to reach in Melbourne for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on the entrance foot.
“We now have just a few days to make use of the expertise from right this moment to [finalize] our testing plan for Bahrain,” added Robson. “Now that we’re assured that the automotive will run nicely, we’re in an ideal place to maximise our time in Bahrain and to make sure that we arrive in Melbourne prepared to start out the 2025 season strongly.”
Each drivers had been overwhelmingly optimistic of their post-session reviews.
“I’m actually comfortable,” stated Albon. “Usually this climate makes the automotive really feel good, and it did right this moment. We received’t know for positive what the automotive is like till Bahrain, however the automotive was dependable, and we placed on an ideal present for our companions and followers, so I hope everybody loved that. Roll on Bahrain!”
Then there’s Sainz, who joined the workforce following his departure from Ferrari, led to by Lewis Hamilton’s beautiful resolution to go away Mercedes and be a part of the Scuderia for the 2025 marketing campaign. Sainz, who has earned the nickname “Clean Operator” over his time within the sport, had this to say in regards to the first laps within the FW47:
“The primary 100 kilometers within the FW47 are performed and it has been a clean day. We managed to finish all of the run plan with none points, and I acquired my first correct feeling for the automotive,” stated Sainz. “It was a daring assertion from Williams to point out the primary lap of this new automotive to our companions, the media, and our followers, and it went very nicely. Good job to everybody again at Grove – now we’re prepared for the season to start out.”