Sainz Jr’s Redemption: Was Getting “Sacked” the Best Thing That Ever Happened?

When Ferrari announced in early 2024 that they would replace Carlos Sainz Jr. (pictured) with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for the 2025 season, it felt like a brutal snub. Sainz had just delivered consistent performances for the Scuderia, including race wins, and was often a match for teammate Charles Leclerc. Many fans and pundits questioned the move – was Ferrari betting on nostalgia over current form?

Fast-forward to the end of the 2025 season, and the irony is impossible to ignore. Sainz, now driving for a resurgent Williams team, secured two Grand Prix podiums (third places in Azerbaijan and Qatar), marking the Grove outfit’s first multiple-podium season in a decade and helping them clinch a stunning fifth in the Constructors’ Championship – their best result since 2017.

Meanwhile, at Ferrari, Hamilton endured a nightmare debut year in red. The 40-year-old Brit failed to score a single main-race podium – the first time in his illustrious F1 career (spanning since 2007) that he’s gone a full season without one. Ferrari shifted focus to 2026 regulations early in the year, halting upgrades and leaving both Hamilton and Leclerc to manage with an uncompetitive car for much of the campaign. Hamilton finished sixth in the drivers’ standings with 156 points, while Leclerc salvaged seven podiums to take fifth.

Sainz ended ninth with 64 points – fewer overall, but those two podiums in a midfield Williams car shone brighter than any of Hamilton’s results in the supposedly superior Ferrari.

In a recent Yardbarker article exploring why Williams are positioned as “dark horses” for the major regulation reset in 2026, Sainz’s own words radiate quiet confidence and optimism about his new home:

 “The team is on an upward trajectory, and it’s fundamental to continue that trajectory. It’s important to keep showing progress, to not stall that progress that we are showing.”

He acknowledged the unpredictability of the new rules but expressed trust in Williams’ preparation:

 “I trust all the efforts that we’ve been putting into next year’s car, through all the simulator sessions and all the development work… I’m feeling positive. I’m relatively happy and confident about it.”

Team principal James Vowles has backed this up, noting Williams’ early pivot to 2026 development (starting January 2025) as a key advantage in a field where the pecking order could flip dramatically.

Sainz has handled questions about outperforming Hamilton’s podium tally with characteristic class, telling Spanish media: “No, I’m satisfied with my two podiums. I’m not at all satisfied with someone else’s misfortune.” He emphasized pride in achieving those results with Williams, a team many doubted he could elevate.

So, does Sainz have every reason to be thrilled about leaving Ferrari? On paper, yes. He escaped a stagnant 2025 Ferrari program plagued by early development freeze and internal struggles, landing at a team on a clear upward path – one that’s invested heavily in infrastructure and now perfectly poised for 2026’s clean slate.

Williams finished just behind Ferrari in the constructors (fifth vs. fourth), but with far fewer resources and a car that received meaningful updates throughout the year. Sainz’s late-season form, dragging the FW47 onto the podium twice, proved his adaptability and racecraft remain elite.

Ferrari’s decision looks increasingly questionable in hindsight. Hamilton brought massive commercial and motivational upside, but on-track results were dismal – a season he himself called a “nightmare.” For Sainz, what felt like a sacking now looks like a blessing in disguise: freedom to lead a rebuild, podiums in an underdog car, and a front-row seat for what could be Williams’ big breakthrough in 2026.

As the Spaniard put it, he’s “relatively happy and confident.” Given the circumstances, he has every right to be outright delighted. The Ferrari chapter closed on a sour note, but the Williams story is just getting exciting.

Related Article (Williams uses Mercedes engine): Formula 1 News: FIA greenlights pure genius Mercedes 2026 F1 engine