Carlos Sainz stated an “exceptionally advanced” Formula One driver market delayed his choice to signal a two-year cope with Williams from subsequent season. The Spaniard will go away Ferrari on the finish of 2024 after the seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was introduced as his alternative earlier within the yr.
Sainz has gained three F1 races in his profession up to now, the most recent of which got here at the Australian Grand Prix in March. For the primary time in F1 historical past, the 2024 season noticed all groups on the grid stick to the identical driver lineup from the yr earlier than however there’s far more upheaval forward of 2025.
Having beforehand pushed for Toro Rosso, Renault and McLaren, Sainz had been linked with quite a few seats for the 2025 season together with Alpine, Sauber and Mercedes. Nonetheless, his fast future was selected Monday when it was confirmed he has agreed an preliminary two-year cope with Williams.
“I’m very completely satisfied to announce that I will probably be becoming a member of Williams Racing from 2025 onwards,” the 29-year-old stated. “It’s no secret that this yr’s driver market has been exceptionally advanced for varied causes and that it has taken me a while to announce my choice.
“Nonetheless, I’m totally assured that Williams is the proper place for me to proceed my F1 journey and I’m extraordinarily pleased with becoming a member of such a historic and profitable crew, the place a lot of my childhood heroes drove prior to now and made their mark on our sport.
“The final word purpose of bringing Williams again to the place it belongs, on the entrance of the grid, is a problem that I embrace with pleasure and positivity. I’m satisfied that this crew has all the proper substances to make historical past once more and beginning on 1 January I’ll give my best possible to drive Williams ahead alongside each single member of the crew.”
Sainz will substitute Logan Sargeant at Williams, the place he’ll companion Alex Albon. Williams have struggled in latest seasons and final took a podium end in 2021, with their final win coming courtesy of Pastor Maldonado’s shock victory on the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix.
“Carlos becoming a member of Williams is a robust assertion of intent from each events,” stated the Williams crew principal, James Vowles. “Carlos has demonstrated again and again that he is among the most proficient drivers on the grid, with race-winning pedigree, and this underlines the upwards trajectory we’re on.
“Carlos brings not simply expertise and efficiency, but additionally a fierce drive to extract each millisecond out of the crew and automotive; the match is ideal. In Alex and Carlos we can have one of the crucial formidable driver lineups on the grid and with big expertise to information us into the brand new laws in 2026.”
