Williams driver Carlos Sainz has hinted at future upgrades on the FW47 F1 car by revealing that he is excited about the progress “coming in the future.” The team’s 2025 car showcased impressive performance in the Australian Grand Prix season opener, where Alex Albon secured P5. However, Sainz remains cautious about the Chinese Grand Prix this weekend.
The Grove outfit has reportedly put in many extra hours over the winter break to enhance the car’s performance from last year, and the efforts have begun to show their true colors. Sadly for Sainz, his crash in the opening lap in Melbourne ended his race, but he remains confident about the car’s pace.
However, the Spaniard pointed out that the Shanghai International Circuit is very different from the Bahrain International Circuit, where F1 conducted pre-season testing. As a result, predicting the FW47’s performance will be difficult, though the race will be a good test of where the team and the car stand in terms of pure performance. Addressing the media in China, Sainz said:
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“Yeah, I think we’re definitely in a good place. I think I think we’re all proud and happy of where the car is after the winter. We’re also excited to see some progress coming in the future also, so I think the team is in a good place, good momentum.
“At the same time, just waving the flag of caution, China is a completely different track where we’ve been up until now, you know, Bahrain and here short 90 degree, 180 degree corners.”
Sainz likened the Shanghai International Circuit to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, stressing that the long and fast corners will show where exactly each F1 team stands in terms of competitive pace. He added:
“Now we’re back in the track more Barcelona style where we would say the kind of the holy track now where everything is included, and China is one of those long combined corners that we haven’t been yet with this car.
“And it would be a great measurement of everyone’s performance in long combined corners where normally weaknesses of F1 cars come out. And I think China in that sense is going to be a great test for all of us because it’s exactly that kind of Barcelona more European track with long combined corners that you’ll take some good conclusions and see if the car is also good in this kind of courses.”