Williams had its eyes on Carlos Sainz long before his departure from Ferrari was even hinted at, making their first move in Abu Dhabi last year.
The Formula 1 world was buzzing when it was revealed that Williams reached out to Sainz before it was known that Lewis Hamilton would be his replacement at Ferrari. This revelation came after a lot of speculation about Sainz’s future, which was finally settled when he committed to Williams for the next two years.
Interestingly, Sainz had other offers on the table from Sauber/Audi and Alpine. He even hoped for opportunities with Red Bull or Mercedes. But it turns out Williams was determined to snag him all along. According to team principal James Vowles, Williams had their sights set on Sainz as their number one target for months, starting the approach way back in Abu Dhabi during the F1 finale last year.
Despite Sainz seemingly being set to remain with Ferrari in 2025, Vowles was confident enough to make his move. He revealed, “There’s only one driver I spoke to in Abu Dhabi last year, only one, and it was Carlos, just to be super clear.” Vowles believed that Sainz was the perfect choice and didn’t consider other options.
Williams hoped that their team, which finished seventh in last year’s constructors’ championship, would be appealing enough for Sainz to join them. However, their 2024 campaign started with a setback, as their car was overweight. Vowles admitted that this affected their performance, saying, “If we would have been in a points-scoring position every weekend, I actually think it would have been a more difficult choice for him [to stay] if Ferrari was more on the rocks.”
Things took a surprising turn when Hamilton’s deal with Ferrari for 2025 was announced in February. Vowles confessed, “I had no inkling at all. That was a complete shock to me.” This announcement gave Williams a significantly better shot at landing Sainz.
While Vowles did talk to other drivers like Valtteri Bottas and Esteban Ocon just in case the Sainz deal fell through, he made it clear these discussions were only a backup plan. “I didn’t call or contact anyone else,” he mentioned, only exploring other options when it seemed uncertain that Sainz would join Williams.
Rumors had been flying around that Sainz wanted an exit clause allowing him to jump to Red Bull or Mercedes if a seat became available. However, Vowles was quick to dismiss this, assuring that such terms didn’t exist in Sainz’s contract. “There are precisely 10 people in the world that know what the interior of the contract holds, just 10,” he stated firmly.
Sainz himself emphasized his commitment to Williams for 2025 and beyond, wanting to make it clear to everyone that this is where he wants to be.
With Sainz set to join Williams, it marks a big move for both him and the team. Fans are eagerly awaiting to see what this new partnership will bring.
