Carlos Sainz’s recent move to Williams has stirred reactions in the F1 community.
- Red Bull’s Helmut Marko calls Sainz’s situation ‘tragic’ given his stellar season at Ferrari.
- Williams secured Sainz’s signature, beating out Alpine and Audi.
- Rumors suggest Sainz has a contract clause allowing an exit if a better offer arises.
- Williams team principal remains tight-lipped about the speculated contract details.
Carlos Sainz’s move to Williams has left many in the F1 community talking, with Red Bull adviser Helmut Marko describing it as ‘tragic’ that Sainz couldn’t secure a seat with a top team for the 2025 season, despite his impressive performance at Ferrari.
Williams recently confirmed signing Sainz on a two-year contract with options to extend beyond 2026. This decision ended the long-speculated future of the Spanish driver, who previously kicked off his career with Red Bull’s junior team in 2015.
Williams team principal James Vowles sees Sainz’s signing as a significant achievement. Competing against Alpine and Audi, Williams managed to secure Sainz’s commitment, with Vowles aiming to bring Williams back to prominence in the racing circuit.
Marko, in his Speedweek column, expressed understanding for Sainz’s choice given the uncertain future of both Audi and Alpine. Audi is undergoing high-level management changes, while Renault, Alpine’s parent company, is considering switching to a customer engine supply from 2026.
Despite this, Marko highlighted the tragedy of Sainz being forced to move to a lower-ranked team while having his best season at Ferrari, recently winning the Australian Grand Prix just after recovering from appendicitis.
The situation took an interesting turn following reports from German media suggesting a contract clause that might allow Sainz to exit Williams if a top team like Red Bull or Mercedes offers him a seat for the 2025 season. This could potentially mean Sainz may never race for Williams despite signing the contract.
Vowles, however, dismissed these speculations, emphasizing that the contract details are known only to a few individuals. He insisted that Sainz is committed to Williams, stating Sainz wanted to clearly communicate his long-term dedication to the team.
The F1 community remains abuzz as Carlos Sainz’s move to Williams continues to raise questions and speculations.
