Carlos Sainz has spent 11 years in Formula One but at Williams, he is still finding new experiences in the sport.
Having departed Ferrari for Williams, replaced by Lewis Hamilton, the Spanish star is still getting used to his new vehicle.
“I can talk a bit about [the post-season test in] Abu Dhabi and how the first laps went,” Sainz said.
“Definitely a thing you feel the most when you change teams, the moment there’s a power unit [change] involved, is the power unit. The noises, the vibrations, the sound, everything just changes completely.
“So even if I went out of the pits trying to understand the aerodynamics and the tyres and the feeling of the mechanical size of the car on the aero, the only thing I had to adapt for the first few laps was just how different a power unit can be.
“That’s [the power unit] probably the biggest change, also the way the power unit operates, in terms of switches, switch changes.
“Especially nowadays in Formula 1, with so much going on, on our steering wheels and with the deployment of the battery, things like the procedures, safety procedures of the engine and the power unit.
“It’s all definitely the biggest change that I’m having to adapt to so far in Williams.”
