Williams: Sainz signing ‘one step of a thousand’ needed for success

Williams team principal James Vowles says Carlos Sainz signing is just “one step of about a thousand” needed for the Grove-based outfit to achieve success in F1.

Vowles, who took the reins of the iconic but struggling British team in early 2023, has been tasked with turning Williams around and restoring the lustre it once enjoyed during its glory years in F1 the 1980s and 1990s.

While the team has shown signs of improvement under Vowles’ leadership, including climbing from the bottom of the constructors' standings to seventh last year, Williams currently sits in ninth place in F1’s Constructors’ championship, with only six points scored from 16 of 24 races this season.

However, Vowles remains optimistic about the long-term vision for the team, although he insisted it will take time to build the foundations for a sustained championship challenge.

Alex Albon recently pointed to 2027 as the earliest season in which Williams can envisage success. But that target was dismissed by Vowles as being too optimistic.

“Crikey, I didn’t realise he said that,” Vowles commented in reaction to Albon’s assessment.

“I think if you ask me to commit to a date, I would have said more ’28, but I think the point is we should be on the right journey to get towards there as well.

• Read also: Williams hoping to have Sainz in action at Abu Dhabi

“There’s quite a bit of investment, senior management and other elements, that are kicking in for ’26 and ’27.

“It takes time in F1. We can shortcut some bits and I’m sure we can have some faster performance [coming] to the table, but you won’t have the foundations in place, and it will collapse at some point.

“Getting it right is the real key behind being successful in F1, not for one year but for many, many years in front. [So], ’28 I’d be a lot more confident about looking you in the eyes and saying, ‘Yes’.”

One of the key steps in Williams' journey to success is the recent signing of Sainz, who will join the team in 2025.

The 30-year-old Ferrari driver, a three-time Grand Prix winner, chose Williams despite interest from several other teams, a move that Vowles believes is pivotal to the team's future.

However, the Briton was quick to temper any premature celebrations over securing the experienced and talented Spaniard.

“When it was signed, I was over the moon, and he [Sainz] knows I was over the moon,” Vowles said.

“When I told the factory, which was effectively there and then, I enjoyed the moment. Moments like this, they don’t come many times in your career, where you’ve made a pivotal decision that will completely change the direction and course of an organisation.”

Yet Vowles remains focused on the bigger picture, saying that Sainz’s signing is just one of many steps needed to bring Williams back to the front of the grid.

“Carlos is a huge asset, he’s a brilliant driver, but he’s a step along the way for this team moving back towards the front,” Vowles said.

“I’ll celebrate when you come to me and say, ‘Congratulations, Williams is a strong competitor fighting for wins and fighting for championships.’”

As Williams continues its rebuilding phase, Vowles’ vision for the team is clear: long-term success through calculated and sustainable growth, with 2028 set as the year they aim to return to the top of Formula 1.

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