Carlos Sainz has dismissed any chance of finishing in the "top five" at this month's season-opening Australian GP, despite topping Bahrain's pre-season test times.
The 30-year-old Spaniard, now at Williams after leaving Ferrari, led the combined timesheets from last week's three-day test. Yet he downplayed the result.
"I don't think we can conclude anything from the times," he told Marca sports newspaper, "because you know that with these cars we can go five seconds slower or faster depending on the fuel and the engine map you have. So it's not clear where we are, but at least it seems the car has responded well and it's a step forward compared to last year."
Sainz admitted to having some setup woes. "In the end there is no time in a day and a half, or for me a day and a quarter, to try half of the things I wanted to try," he said.
"I still have a lot of doubts about the setup. But that's how it is, you have to go to the first races without knowing where the last two tenths of the car are."
His Melbourne goal? "Points," he answered. "I think points have to be our objective at the start of the season. I already said that at the presentation of the car. I think anything else is asking too much. The car has strong points, I'm sure it has very strong points, and then it has weak points, but it's like any other car I've driven in my past. I'm sure there have been positive surprises, there also have been negative ones, as usual. But it's impossible to adapt in such a short time.
"It seems ridiculous to me that we have a day and a half of testing."
Reflecting on 2024's midfield contest, he added: "Last year, I think if you look at the middle of the grid, we were not that far away—a Haas, a Williams—in some qualifyings, we were quite close at times. My contribution comes more in the race pace, because then the gap opens up a lot, you degrade more, and that's where I think I can contribute a little more and help the team try to improve. But I'm sure you won't see me on the podium or in the top five this year, so don't get too motivated."
He smiled: "But at least know that I haven't come to Williams to pass the time, to let the years go by. At least it serves to show people that I'm here for it—we're going to go for it."
