Vowles: Williams getting ‘more than I paid for’ from Sainz

Carlos Sainz has so far scored but a single point for Williams but team principal James Vowles can’t hide his enthusiasm for what the Spaniard brings to the team, both on and off the track.

After being left without a seat at Ferrari due to Lewis Hamilton’s shock switch to the Scuderia, Sainz landed at Williams in a highly anticipated move — one that Vowles had long made clear was a key target in his rebuilding project.

Now, just a few races into their partnership, the Briton is already seeing the benefits of bringing the four-time race winner on board, insisting Williams is getting “more than I paid for” from its new recruit.

‘Delivering Absolutely Above My Expectations’

Speaking during Friday’s FIA press conference in Bahrain, Vowles explained why Sainz has already proven to be such a valuable asset.

“I think we’re getting more than I paid for [from Sainz],” he said. “The reason why I say that is because there’s two different ways to assess performance – number one is obviously what you see in the car, driving around.

“In that regard he’s making steps forward; I’m very comfortable that he will be on the pace shortly, but it takes time to acclimatise – we are quite a different car to the Ferrari.

“But the second element is where I’ve been very impressed; what he’s doing with working with our aerodynamicist team, with our race engineering team, with pretty much everyone throughout our organisation on finding those last milliseconds – that’s the reason why I wanted him as part of this team, and he’s delivering absolutely above my expectations.”

This collaborative spirit, diving into the minutiae of performance gains, underscores why Sainz was such a coveted signing.

A Solid Start for Williams

Williams have started the 2025 season on a relatively strong note, sitting fifth in the constructors’ standings after scoring points at all three opening rounds. Alex Albon has consistently delivered top-10 results, while Sainz added to the team’s points haul with a solid drive in China.

Vowles is pleased with the early progress and sees plenty more potential once Sainz is fully comfortable in the FW47.

“[I’m] really pleased [with our start to the season], because this is a really competitive grid now,” Vowles said.

“Gone are the days where there’s large gaps – we’re down into milliseconds. And what I’m really pleased about is that our focus has been on 2026.

"I’ve been very clear on that, but we’ve still been able to produce a car that’s moved us up to the top end of the midfield and in contention for fighting for points every weekend, which is what our target was going into it.

“There’s some elements though [where] we have work to do to help Carlos get comfortable in the car, because I think then once you have both of them there we’ll be a force to be reckoned with, really, against the midfield fight.

Read also:

• Albon rejects Sainz’s ‘Ferrari habits’ claim: ‘They’re good to have’

“But otherwise I’m happy that we’ve got most of what we could get out of the beginning of the season. I think there’s some points here and there that could have been picked up.”

As the season unfolds, Vowles’ faith in Sainz appears well-placed. The Spaniard’s blend of on-track tenacity and off-track diligence is already paying dividends, positioning Williams as a team to watch in the fiercely contested midfield.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook