Carlos Sainz boost as Williams driver change prompts ‘stir the s**t up’ theory

Guenther Steiner believes Williams’ decision to “stir the s**t” up with Franco Colapinto will give Carlos Sainz confidence that he can beat Alex Albon F1 2025.

And he believes Albon has suffered despite dominating his previous two team-mates, Nicholas Latifi and Logan Sargeant, with the former Haas F1 team principal convinced that the Thai driver has himself got “slower” as a result.

Carlos Sainz to exploit Alex Albon weakness at Williams in F1 2025?

Sainz will join Williams for next season, having learned last winter that he will be replaced by seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari at the end of F1 2024.

Albon has established himself as Williams’ lead driver since returning to an F1 seat with Williams in 2022, with team principal James Vowles convinced the Grove-based team have the strongest driver lineup on the F1 2025 grid following the signing of Sainz.

Sargeant was dropped by Williams after the Dutch Grand Prix having scored just a single point in 36 F1 starts from the start of 23, with Colapinto making an instant impact by scoring four in just his second appearance in Baku last month.

Carlos Sainz and Williams: A marriage made in heaven?

? Carlos Sainz to Williams: Five reasons why surprise F1 2025 move isn’t as crazy as it sounds

? F1 driver contracts: What is the contract status of every driver on the 2024 grid?

Colapinto’s start to life in F1 has been noted by the likes of Hamilton and Sergio Perez, who praised the Argentine over team radio as the pair battled during the recent Singapore Grand Prix.

Appearing on the Red Flags podcast, Steiner claimed that Colapinto’s performances have been a “wake-up call” for Albon, airing his belief that drivers lose their edge if they are not challenged by their team-mates.

Asked if Sainz will “wipe the floor” with Albon in F1 2025 after Colapinto exposed his weakness, he said: “No, I think Albon is pretty good.

“But if you [spend] a long time with a team-mate who is not challenging you, you get slower as well. That’s my opinion about it.

“Obviously, this will be a wake-up call for Alex. This is a wake up-call.

“And it’s the same for Nico Hulkenberg [after being beaten by Haas sub Oliver Bearman in Baku]. They will not take this well. It’s like: ‘Woah, what just happened?’

“Because I think they both were in a very cushy situation with their team-mates, they could manage them pretty well. They knew what to do to be faster than them.

“And all of a sudden they both have got these rookies coming in and they’re like: ‘Oh, I’m number two now.’

“In a team, it’s very good to be challenged. That’s what I always say.

“Team-mates shouldn’t be best friends, because then they don’t challenge each other. There needs to be a competition between them.

“They need to get on and respect each other, but they don’t need to be too friendly like: ‘You’re my buddy, it’s quite a good lifestyle here.’

“And especially for teams which are not able to win the World Championship or go on the podium, it’s much easier to go: ‘OK, I’m 12th, 11th, 15th, 16th – what’s the real difference? Not really any.’

“I think for them, and for a team, it’s good to sometimes stir the s**t up.”

Read next: Carlos Sainz ‘smart’ F1 2025 Williams move analysed amid damning Audi F1 assessment