Behind the scenes of Carlos Sainz's arrival at Williams

Known since the beginning of 2024 that he would be replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari from 2025, Carlos Sainz attracted the attention of the paddock last season. It was difficult for a team not to think about recruiting one of the strongest drivers on the grid, capable of winning races and taking pole positions, at a time when he was available on the market. Frédéric Vasseur even praised him at the time of his final Grand Prix in red, saluting all his efforts to help replace the Team almost at the top after the very difficult 2020 and 2021 campaigns.

Aware of his situation, the Spaniard did not rush into anything. On the contrary, he took his time and analyzed every type of offer that reached his entourage. And there were many. Announced almost everywhere on the grid, the Madrilenian finally made a decision on Monday, July 29 when Williams, after long negotiations, has made its arrival official from 2025.

"The short term was not fundamental"

A choice that surprised more than one as the Grove team had a difficult 2024 campaign while the reconstruction phase continues, and above all has been going on for quite some time. But it was carefully considered by Carlos Sainz and his close circle whose ambitions were not limited to 2025 but well beyond while the Formula 1 will enter a new era in 2026 that could cause a shake-up in the grid.

« You probably heard me say this before, but for me what was fundamental was not so much the short term., he explained to Williams employees during a speech at the factory. At the beginning, when I had to make such an important decision, I was thinking about which team would be the fastest in 2025, which one would generate the most aerodynamic force, which one would discover things that would make them faster. »

By ticking certain boxes here and there depending on the offers received, Carlos Sainz has thus ended up putting two important points at the top of his priorities for the rest of his career: " The project and the people " So many elements that he found in the English team.

« When I started talking to James in more detail (Vowles, the team principal), I realized that he had put together a very solid projectHe says. He formed a team with a common vision, with a project with Dorilton (a private company that has owned the team since 2020) who I believe will bring this team back to the forefront with very strong leadership and with a vision that, from the beginning, made me fall in love with the project and convinced me to trust its leaders. »

In this new challenge, the Iberian finds some similarities with one of his previous ones. Taking his passage through McLaren (2019-2020) when the team was in full reconstruction, the person concerned felt in it this capacity which would allow it to be in the place where it is today.

« When I left McLaren I really thought there were very good people there and that this team could be world champions in the future., he points. McLaren ended up being world champions last year and I thought I had to trust my instincts.

I know Williams has a good project, they have support and they have good people. Ultimately, the combination of those two things made me believe in Williams. "It's up to him to be the captain of a ship that is still seeking a constant cruising speed.

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