Why Sainz took his time, then chose Williams · RaceFans

It’s unusual for team principals to greet the news of their driver’s next career move with an endorsement, but Frederic Vasseur did just that when Williams announced Carlos Sainz Jnr will join them next year.

“I am pleased that Carlos will be joining Williams Racing from next season,” Vasseur said in a statement released by Ferrari. “It’s a team with a great history and legacy, founded by an enlightened man with an ambitious vision, so I know Carlos will feel at home there.”

He added his praise for Williams team principal James Vowles, who is only in his second year in charge. “I have great respect for James and I am sure Carlos will make a valuable contribution to his team,” Vasseur added.

No doubt Vasseur made these remarks partly out of genuine pleasure to see his departing driver choose a team he thinks highly of. After all, it’s doubtful Vasseur would have let Sainz go for many drivers other than Lewis Hamilton, but the opportunity to sign a seven-times world champion doesn’t come along that often.

But would Vasseur have said the same of any of the alternatives Sainz was believed to be considering? After all, two of those are among those he has previously run.

Of those, it was perhaps most surprising to see Sainz spurn Sauber, which has attracted the might of Audi and will become its works team in 2026. Less surprisingly he also thought better of joining Alpine, which is preparing to appoint its fifth team principal since ending Vasseur’s brief tenure in charge just seven years ago.

After the blow of learning he would lose his Ferrari drive at the end of the year, Sainz admitted it had been flattering to be courted by multiple teams for his services.

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“It feels a privilege to be so well-regarded by these teams and have such positive feedback from them,” he said. “I feel almost honoured to have this positive will from these teams and I can only thank them for their patience and their willingness to sign me.”

They undoubtedly were patient, as Sainz has taken almost exactly six months since Hamilton’s move was announced to confirm his plans. This aggravated his rivals who are also looking for drives next year, who knew they could not firm up their plans until the three-times race winner had taken his place.

“It’s difficult to understand just because it’s not that difficult to make his decision,” Zhou Guanyu complained at the British Grand Prix. “You’re not really making a decision of a team maybe fighting for a world championship, you’re making a decision between, let’s say, mid-running teams, depends where you want to head off.”

Sainz did not see it that way, and took time over deciding which of the available options offered the best prospects – as well as, no doubt, the best terms.

“It’s been a very complex driver market, a very complex situation and that’s why I’ve been having to wait and see how every team’s future was planning out,” he said. “As you guys see every week has given me the feeling that I’ve been doing the right thing to wait, because every week you know something different about each team.

“So even although I see some fans and some media are getting impatient saying ‘why is he waiting so long?’, when you look at the market and when you when you look at each team, all the changes that they’ve been in every team, it clearly shows that waiting was exactly the right thing to do.

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“The more I’ve been waiting, the more information I was getting from each team that I have opportunities to go to. So I hope that you guys put that in value. and appreciate why I’ve been waiting and why it’s been probably the right call to keep it for this long.”

What has he learned while he’s been waiting? He’s certainly seen no discernible upswing in Williams’ performance. The team he will join has only scored points twice so far this year and hasn’t brought any significant updates to its car all season.

But Vowles has confirmed significant hires to the team’s technical division as he aims to put the multiple constructors’ champions on a path to achieve the kind of success which has eluded them for decades.

Some of those have arrived from Alpine, who have had a turbulent time. The revelation its owner Renault is considering abandoning its F1 engine project inspires no confidence in their long-term commitment to F1, even if they end up a Mercedes engine customer, as Williams is. The return of its disgraced ex-team principal Flavio Briatore in a consultancy role should also set alarm bells ringing.

When Sainz appeared on the driver market six months ago Audi looked like an obvious destination for him. The appeal of a works manufacturer is obvious, and Sainz had two obvious connections to the team through his father’s successes in rally raid and via his former McLaren team principal Andreas Seidl, who took charge of the project at the end of 2022.

Sainz evidently found Audi’s case insufficiently persuasive as well. Perhaps there is substance to the negative rumours which have filled the void of information surrounding the project, perhaps they weren’t prepared to offer him the same terms as Williams. Either way, last week Audi confirmed Seidl is stepping down, an announcement which surprised the already-signed Nico Hulkenberg.

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So yesterday, as he prepared to begin his summer break, looking forward to hearing no more questions about his future plans, Sainz indicated Vowles’ pitch had finally won him over.

“I think Williams have always been in a good place. So have the other teams because, as you guys know, I’m limited on options.

“But we will see. James has been very vocal about wanting me and Williams and and as you guys know I’m a big fan of his and his work ethic and the way that he’s pushing that team forward. So it’s no secret that I get on very well with James.

“Whether he’s being optimistic or not I keep that to myself,” he added, 24 hours before confirming he had signed on the line.

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