Carlos Sainz says that his decision to join Williams from 2025 was fueled by the same motivation that encouraged him to sign for McLaren back in 2019.
The Spaniard’s move to Williams is a bold undertaking that will see the 29-year-old forced to leave behind a race-winning outfit – Ferrari – to open a new chapter in his career with a team that is unlikely to carry him to the top step of a podium in the coming seasons.
In 2019, McLaren was also a team struggling to find its way back to the top after several years in the midfield. Yet, Sainz saw potential in the Woking-based squad, believing that it had the right people and resources to revive its fortunes.
This belief proved correct as McLaren steadily improved over the following seasons. Sainz's instincts about the team and its leadership, particularly his faith at the time in Zak Brown and Andreas Seidl, paid off, and he only left when Ferrari came calling.
Now, in 2025, Sainz faces a similar scenario with Williams. F1’s third most successful team has been battling at the back of the grid for years, but with new leadership under James Vowles and significant investment from Dorilton Capital, Williams has been laying the groundwork for a resurgence.
"Williams is the team that from the beginning I had very good feeling and very good conversations with," Sainz said.
"They’re a team very committed to F1 with a very strong project, very strong leadership, and the will to bring back a historic Formula 1 team with the pedigree Williams has back to the front is something that motivates me."
Just like his time with McLaren, Sainz is motivated by the challenge of helping a storied team return to the sharp end of the grid.
"It motivated me when I went to McLaren, and when I went to Ferrari when it was down the grid after a tough 2020," he recalled. "And it motivates me now to do a project like Williams, yeah, I cannot wait, and I think it’s going to be an interesting few years in my career."
Sainz decision to join Williams came after a period of intense speculation and contemplation. The Spaniard was a highly sought-after driver, with options from Alpine and Sauber/Audi.
However, the constant speculation regarding his future has been a distraction during his final season with Ferrari.
"It’s been a very tough let’s say seven months of my career where I had to deal with everything that happened in January in combination with having to deliver as a Ferrari driver in a high-pressure environment in combination with having to decide my future," he explained.
Sainz took his time to consider all options, ensuring he made a well-informed decision.
"I put myself the target to take the decision before the break and when I took the decision I wanted to be 100% convinced," he said.
"I took the decision around the Spa weekend, so it was late. But I’ve always had the feeling during all those negotiations, I always kept Williams in the back of my head as I always had that good feeling with James and the investment group Dorilton."
Reflecting on his experiences and the people he's worked with in the sport, Sainz emphasized the importance of trusting his instincts.
"For me it was important people also, I’ve learned over the years in Formula 1 to trust in my feeling about people," he stated.
"I remember when I left McLaren in 2020 I felt like the team was moving forward and was going to be successful in the future... Four years later they’re performing at an incredibly high level, I had this feeling at that time."
Now, Sainz feels that same conviction about Williams.
"Now I have this feeling about the people and the culture in Williams, I need to trust that feeling, and this is what I committed to," he asserted.
As Williams aims to emulate McLaren's recent ascent through a combination of strategic hires and a clear vision for the future, Sainz's belief in the team's potential reflects a confident driver eager to make his mark.
His move to Grove is not just a new chapter in his career but a reaffirmation of his commitment to bringing teams back to the forefront of Formula 1.
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