Carlos Sainz: A dark streak is always followed by a light one.

      In Baku Carlos Sainz earned Williams' first podium since 2021…

      Question: Carlos, your first podium behind the wheel of a Williams — a great result! What factor played the key role in this success?

      Carlos Sainz: The key was a perfect performance throughout the weekend — from practice and qualifying to the race. That's what I've been aiming for since the start of the season — to have a clean weekend. In Jeddah we had an almost perfect weekend, but the rest of the season was uneven, with fewer highs than lows.

      Somewhere we were unlucky, somewhere we messed up ourselves, but from the very beginning I told the team that when the first real opportunity to fight for a podium came, we'd handle it and show everyone our potential. That's what happened.

      Starting from second gave good chances in the race, but yesterday many didn't believe we'd make the podium, considering so many quick cars behind. Actually, we have good pace this year too, it just wasn't always possible to show it, and in Baku everything worked out. In the race only George Russell was able to overtake me. We did a great job.

      Question: You said this podium brought you more satisfaction than your first podium in Formula 1…

      Carlos Sainz: It is. This success is more significant because a year ago I put my bet on Williams and said I sincerely believed in this project, in the team being on the rise.

      I feel very comfortable in this working environment, comfortable with the people around me. And actually, I've been quite quick in this car throughout the year. I think that of all those who changed teams, which is not an easy task these days, I was competitive from the first race. Unfortunately, I didn't have the results to prove to myself, the team and everyone that good times were coming. Now the results have come.

      Life has taught me many times that a dark streak of bad results or poor performances is always followed by a bright one if you keep working hard. That's what happened here.

      Question: You achieved your first podium for Williams before Lewis achieved his first podium for Ferrari. What do you think about that?

      Carlos Sainz: What others do doesn't concern me. I'm happy we took the first opportunity to score a podium with Williams.

      Question: What results do you expect at the end of the season? What else is your car capable of?

      Carlos Sainz: I think that unless something incredible happens, a podium is our maximum. Maybe our next chance will be in Vegas — there we could try to get into the top five or six.

      Actually, it's a difficult question. I'll fight with everything I've got, and if a chance appears like in Baku, I'll try to take it. But on some tracks, like in Qatar, we might not score any points at all. Our results are very track-dependent. Probably in Austin and Mexico we can finish in the top ten. We'll see how it goes.

      Question: Third place is very good, but could anything have been done differently to keep George behind and finish second?

      Carlos Sainz: I fought for second the whole race. To be honest, I was sure that for the first ten laps after the early first pit stop, when I was on new Hard tyres, I'd be faster than George on worn Mediums. I said, "If I can get ahead before his pit stop, we'll have a chance at second." But then I was told his times and I realized we had no chance. They were too quick for us.

      Congratulations to George and Mercedes on that result. Kimi behind was closing fast, so I switched from fighting for second to defending third.

      Question: Seeing that Max started on Hards, did you think there was a chance to get ahead at the start?

      Carlos Sainz: No. I thought that if I'd known beforehand, I would have done the same. But over the course of the weekend we came to the conclusion that the left side of the grid has much less grip than the right. I understood that even if I had a perfect start on the softer tyre, I wouldn't be able to pass him at the start. I did have a really good start, but it wasn't enough. He also had a great start.