Carlos Sainz has been linked with Williams as one of the teams for the F1 2025 season.
Williams team principal James Vowles openly confirmed that Carlos Sainz is their “number one target” in the Formula 1 driver market, with investment flowing and new signings teased.
The latest F1 ‘silly season’ continues to gather pace with Carlos Sainz serving as a key player, the three-time F1 race winner on the lookout for a new home on the grid with Lewis Hamilton set to take his Ferrari seat for 2025. Could said new home be Williams?
Williams confirm Carlos Sainz as ‘number one target’
The Grove outfit has expressed their clear preference for Carlos Sainz to join their team alongside Alex Albon, who recently agreed to a new long-term contract, as confirmed by team boss Vowles in an interview with Sky F1.
“Carlos is our top priority,” stated Vowles. He further elaborated on his admiration for Sainz, highlighting his remarkable performance in winning the 2023 Singapore race as the sole non-Red Bull victor that season. Additionally, Vowles praised Sainz for his impressive recovery after a Q2 crash during the 2024 Chinese Grand Prix, where he nearly matched his teammate Charles Leclerc’s performance in Q3.
Vowles continued, stating that he is a race-winning driver who, despite facing numerous challenges, managed to defeat Max in Singapore last year through an exceptional drive. This was not the first time he has accomplished such a feat.
“He possesses an intelligent and logical approach to tasks, and his quick thinking is truly remarkable. Although what he did in Shanghai this year may initially seem negative, it’s actually quite impressive. Despite crashing during qualifying, we can all relate to making mistakes to some degree. What sets him apart is his ability to reset himself, get back in the game, and ultimately outperform his teammate in such challenging circumstances.”
“He is an incredibly skilled driver, and I believe this highlights his exceptional strength. Having Carlos as a teammate would be a great advantage for any team in the grid.”
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Williams, having accumulated a grand total of 16 championships, have established themselves as familiar faces in the world of Formula 1. However, their most recent triumph dates back to 1997, and in the recent seasons, Williams has struggled to maintain a competitive position on the grid. They have consistently finished in P10 or last place in four out of the last six campaigns.
Nevertheless, Vowles acknowledged that the situation at Williams is evolving, evident in their active pursuit of Sainz. He also hinted at the forthcoming announcement of several exceptional signings in the near future.
Vowles answered the question about what he is convincing Sainz about regarding a possible move to Williams by stating, “The primary aspect is that I had a motive to leave Mercedes and join this team.”
“This is not the same Williams team as before. The inclusion of Sainz in our list clearly indicates that we are not performing as we have in recent times. We are ready to have a driver lineup that, if achieved, will undoubtedly be one of the strongest on the grid.”
“We’re entering a new era, where we’re committing tens, if not hundreds of millions, to restore this team to its former success.”
“And this is only one of the reasons why I decided to switch teams from Mercedes. Additionally, there are several impressive signings happening behind the scenes that will gradually be revealed to the world in the coming weeks.”
“But indeed, this journey has proven to be worthwhile. The fruits of our labor that were sown 12 months ago are now starting to show. This progress instills in me a strong sense of confidence that we are making significant strides ahead.”
Williams used to consistently rank 10th for several years, but last year they improved to seventh place. Unfortunately, they had a slow start this year. However, they are now steadily improving their performance in each race. The current Williams team is completely transformed from what it used to be.
Regarding the time when he expects the F1 driver market puzzle to be solved, Vowles expressed, “I anticipate that the remaining pieces of the market will become clear within the next four weeks. That is the timeframe we are focusing on.”
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