Carlos Sainz finished third in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday. This is the Spaniard’s best result since making his debut with Williams this year. For the British racing team, it’s their first podium finish since George Russell‘s second place in the rain-soaked Belgian Grand Prix in 2021. “This is the most beautiful podium of my career,” Sainz reacted afterwards.
“¡Vamos!”, sounded over the team radio after the race. Carlos Sainz was ecstatic after claiming his first podium finish with Williams. “My first smooth operation with the team,” he joked, referring to his well-known nickname. Not much later, the iconic 80’s song was played in the parc fermé. “I can’t describe how happy I am, how good this feels,” he responded. “Even better than my first podium. We’ve been working incredibly hard all year and today proves that, when everything comes together, we’re fast enough for a podium finish.”
“We made no mistakes during the race, which allowed me to beat many cars that I thought were too fast for us yesterday,” Sainz continued. “I’m incredibly proud of everyone at Williams. We’ve had a tough year, but it’s clear that we’ve made a big step forward compared to last season. It’s been difficult to translate the pace into good results, but now I know why. Life has its ups and downs, but to be rewarded with such a podium surpasses my wildest dreams. It’s a beautiful life lesson; keep believing and keep dreaming. Eventually, it pays off.”
