Carlos Sainz celebrates his first podium with Williams. Photo: RacePictures

Vowles: Azerbaijan GP podium marks reset point in Sainz’s Williams career

16:09, 21 Sep

byBen Hunt

James Vowles reckons Carlos Sainz’s first podium for Williams signals a reset point in the Spaniard’s racing career. Sainz was delighted with his third place in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and hailed it as the best podium of his career.

Carlos Sainz and Williams celebrate podium in Baku. Photo: RacePictures

He needed this result. You'll see now the positive momentum it generates.

- James Vowles

It was the fourth time he scored points in his last five races and means he now has achieved a podium ahead of the man who replaced him at Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton.

Sainz said: “I cannot describe how happy I am and how good this feels. It tastes even better than my first ever podium.

"We have been fighting hard all year and we proved when we had the speed, we had it all year and everything comes together and we can do some amazing things together.

"I'm extremely proud of everyone at Williams for pushing through a very difficult year. We have proven to everyone the massive step we took compared to last year.

"We are on the rise and in the right direction. Unfortunately, with me, we had a lot of bad luck and incidents. Now I understand why it all happened: because the first podium needed to come like this.

"It's just life. Life sometimes brings you these bad moments to give you a very nice one. This tastes much better than any other thing I was expecting.

"It's a life lesson to keep believing and trusting yourself and your team around you because sooner or later it always pays off."

Vowles: "You'll see now the poisitive momentum it generates"

And Williams boss Vowles is confident this will be a springboard for more success for the 31-year-old. He added: “Lap after lap, he just built the pace. We knew Merc was quick, but well done to him, he didn't put a foot wrong all weekend.

“I spoke to him on Thursday, we had dinner together and said this is a reset point where we start and move forward in our season and he needed this result. You'll see now the positive momentum it generates.”

Sainz is currently in 12th place in the drivers’ championship.