Carlos Sainz is a driver with two options for next year and beyond. The 29-year-old Spanish driver has multi-year deal offers on the table from Williams and Sauber/Audi as the new regulations in 2026 are coming quickly.
In February Scuderia Ferrari confirmed that Lewis Hamilton would be joining their team in 2025, leaving Sainz out of a drive.
Red Bull Racing announced that Sergio Perez will continue to partner Max Verstappen earlier this month, and Toto Wolff said in Canada that Carlos Sainz was not an option for the team.
So it leaves the 3-time Grand Prix winner to choose between the teams who currently occupy P9 and P10 in this year’s Constructors’ Championship at present.
Speaking post-qualifying in Canada on Saturday in the written media zone, Sainz was very flattered by the interest shown to him by Williams, but he is yet to make up his mind as he looks to focus on the season.
“I appreciate obviously James’ interest and kind words that he has always towards me. The same can be said about how I feel towards him and his team.
“But the reality is that I haven’t made up my mind yet about where I’m going to go next year because, as I said in the press conference the other day, I’m too focused.
“Right now, my head is too focused on every weekend that we’re doing. Weekend in, weekend out, I’m fighting for podiums or wins. So it’s very difficult to put your mind in the future when you have such an important weekend coming up all the time.
“I’m going to need some time to sit down with my management, with myself, have a conversation with myself and then decide where I want to go. But right now, there’s nothing decided.”
Speaking to Sky Sports over the Canadian weekend, Williams team boss made a public pitch as to why the team is such a good option for Sainz. Talks have been taking place with the current Ferrari driver since Monaco.
Since Vowles took over ahead of the 2023 season, serious work has gone into the Grove-based squad to get their facilities and tools into shape and fit for modern F1.
They’ve also recruited big names, such as Pat Fry from Alpine. More will be coming and announced soon, according to the former Mercedes strategist.
“There’s a reason why I’m here: Williams isn’t the same Williams it was three years ago.
“And by the definition of the fact that we are even talking to Carlos, it shows you that we’ve changed our approach.
“We want two world-class drivers to be a part of our stable going forward. We want the world to realise that we’re here and we’re serious. We’re investing what it takes to be back at the front.
“In 2026, we have one of the best power units – if not the best power unit – coming to our car. We’ll announce shortly, I hope, but there’s around 30 incredible people from other teams joining our organisation that we’ve been gathering across the last 12 months. The world is changing.
“Someone like Carlos would feature very highly in that regard in terms of the grand picture of where we are. Of course, the difference is he has the choice of whether he wants to come here or not. That’s his to make.”
First reported by Auto Motor und Sport, James Vowles has offered Carlos Sainz a 4-year contract for 2025 and beyond. However, that does include clauses for the Spaniard.
Should Williams fail to hit the ground running when the new regulations come into place in 2026 and not have a car and engine combination that can contend for podiums and good points on a consistent basis, Sainz would be free to look for another opportunity on the F1 grid.
A proposal from Audi has been on the table for quite some time for Sainz as the German manufacturers are big fans of the Spaniard. He previously worked with their F1 CEO Andreas Seidl at McLaren.
Although Sainz is yet to choose where he will go for 2025, Williams has shown just how much they want the talented Spanish driver to partner Alex Albon at the team.
