Carlos Sainz has already represented some iconic teams in Formula 1. And now Williams are the latest addition to the list.
Sainz didn’t manage to earn a Red Bull seat after starting at junior team Toro Rosso, but he soon landed at a championship-winning outfit in Renault. From there, he switched to McLaren.
The Spaniard was only there for two years, but he helped to raise their level. When he arrived, they had just finished sixth in the constructors’ championship with 62 points.
Though the position stayed the same, their points tally increased to 96 in 2019 before they broke the 100 barrier in a 2020 season that spanned just 17 races. Sainz also ended a near-six-year podium drought at the Brazilian Grand Prix.
He agreed to join Ferrari before the delayed 2020 campaign had even started, and he watched his new team hit a nadir. Again, they finished P6, their poorest showing since 1980.
By the time Sainz lost his drive at the end of 2024, they were just 14 points away from winning the constructors’ championship. While the 30-year-old wasn’t solely responsible, of course, James Vowles can be confident of a repeat at Williams.
Zak Brown backs Carlos Sainz to do exactly what James Vowles wants at Williams
During an interview with talkSPORT on the F1 75 red carpet, Zak Brown was asked for his thoughts on Sainz’s Williams move. The McLaren Racing CEO retains a good relationship with his former driver.
Sainz came to congratulate the team after Lando Norris won in Miami last year, their first victory since 2021. And Brown then ‘photobombed’ the Ferrari ace’s celebrations at the Mexico City GP in October.
Brown believes that Sainz’s attitude and talents will drive Williams forward. But he did point out that he’ll be facing a ‘very strong’ opponent in Alex Albon.
Vowles pushed so hard to sign Sainz because he believes the four-time race-winner can spearhead a resurgence. Williams are aiming for victories by 2027, having lost stood on the top step in 2012.
“He’s a great guy, great racing driver,” Brown said of Sainz. “I think he’ll drive that team forward. Alex is a very strong driver. You look down the grid, there’s not many driver line-ups that aren’t really strong.”
The one team where Carlos Sainz never felt he was at his best
Sainz wants Williams to copy Ferrari’s simulator to aid their car development. While the upgrades will doubtless be expensive, this is exactly what Vowles wants to hear.
Sainz can offer insight on the workings of a top Formula 1 team and spot the areas where Williams are falling short. Vowles previously worked as a strategist at the dominant Mercedes team, but with Albon having previously raced for Red Bull, he now has two drivers who know what an elite operation looks like.
Under his contract, Sainz can leave Williams at the end of 2026. If he’s not satisfied with the progress they’re making, he may abandon the project.
But for now, he’s confident this won’t be a repeat of his short-lived Renault move. Sainz says he was ‘never’ the best version of himself with the French manufacturer and ‘didn’t love how it went’.
