Sometimes in F1 what feels like a “quiet” race turns into a major milestone—and for Carlos Sainz and Williams, Baku 2025 was exactly that. After months of hard work, setbacks, and underpromising weekends, Sainz delivered a performance that will be remembered not just for what it meant on the day, but for how much it meant to him, the team, and to Williams’ place in the sport.
The Podium that Matters: What He Did in Baku
In the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Sainz qualified on the front row in second alongside Max Verstappen. When the lights went out, Verstappen took control, Russell came through for second, and Sainz showed composure and speed to hold off challengers and secure third place. This result marked his first podium with Williams. It was also Williams’ first full-distance race podium since 2017, ending an 8-year drought.
What makes this especially practical and impressive is that Sainz did it in dry conditions and on merit—not aided by weather chaos or safety car weirdness. He had to manage his tyres, his pace, and resist pressure from behind. As he said:
“Honestly I cannot describe how happy I am, how good this feels. It tastes even better than my first ever podium.”
“We nailed the race, not one mistake … we managed to beat a lot of cars yesterday that I wasn’t expecting to beat.”
Why He Calls It the “Best Podium” of His Career
Sainz has stood on podiums before—28 in total now, with four wins (all during his time at Ferrari), and many tough battles. But in those past successes there were often mitigating factors: strategy luck, weather, or unusual race developments.
This time, Sainz believes it was different. He says this podium “tastes even better than my first ever podium,” because it came in a situation when everything needed to go right: car setup, reliability, no mistakes, good qualifying, race pace, and pressure management. He also highlighted how much Williams has improved, how they’ve “fought hard all year,” and how when the speed has been there, this is what results like this look like.
He described the race as his “first Smooth Operation in Williams,” a comment that underlines how many things had to align for him—for the car, the team, strategy, and his own drive.
The Wait: How Long Since Williams’ Last Podium? And Sainz’s Last
-
For Williams, the drought was long. Their last full-distance GP podium was in 2017, when Lance Stroll finished third in Azerbaijan.
-
There was another “podium” in 2021 (George Russell’s second place in Belgium), but that was in a race that was heavily affected by weather and, crucially, didn’t run the full race distance (only two laps behind the safety car). So many consider this Baku result to be their first “true” normal podium in a full race since 2017.
-
For Sainz himself, this is his first time on the podium since leaving Ferrari at the end of 2024. So in simple terms: he went roughly one full transition year, plus the 2025 season up to Baku, without a podium—despite having multiple wins and podiums prior, and plenty of experience.
Championship & Team Implications
-
The points haul from this podium was substantial for Williams. Before Baku, Sainz had scored 16 points all season; in Baku alone, he added 15 to bring him nearly level with that total.
-
It boosts Driver National Standings for him—moving him up in the driver rankings, helping Williams’ Constructors’ Championship position, morale, sponsorship interest, and internal confidence.
-
For Sainz’s career narrative, this helps silence critics who suggested his move to Williams might limit his ability to fight for podiums again. It puts him back in the conversation.
Reflection & What Sainz Said
Sainz’s words after the race reveal how emotional this result was:
“Best podium in my career. You cannot imagine how this tastes.”
“Thank you so much. We’ve been fighting hard all year … when we have the speed … everything comes together … we can do some amazing things together.”
He emphasised that much of this season’s struggles—incidents, bad luck, setup issues—had been frustrating, but that this result felt like vindication: not just of his ability, but of Williams’ direction and resolve.
What Comes Next
This podium changes expectations—for Sainz, for Williams, and for the rest of the midfield:
-
Williams will ride a wave of confidence and likely push to replicate this in upcoming races. They know now that their car has more potential than it has shown in many race weekends.
-
Sainz will want consistency: nails qualifying, strong race starts, clean strategy, minimal mistakes. If he can keep scoring high results, he can make this feel like more than a one-off.
-
Rival teams will now treat Williams and Sainz differently—expect more attention in practice, more drop-in setup analysis, more rivalry.
Final Thoughts
Carlos Sainz’s third place in Baku isn’t just another podium—it’s a statement. Best podium of his career, according to him. First “smooth operation” with Williams. First real, full-race podium for Williams in years. And for a driver who’s been at the sharp end of F1 long enough, it’s rare to see one so cherished.
This result belongs not just to Sainz, but to the moments that build a season: each qualifying lap, each clean race, each time things don’t go wrong. Baku 2025 will be one of those weekends remembered in Williams’ history—and in Sainz’s own story.
The post RACE REACTION: Carlos Sainz “best podium” of his career in Azerbaijan GP appeared first on Destination Formula 1.