Carlos Sainz re-signs with Williams

He considered whether it was time to leave, but ultimately decided to stay for several more years. Carlos Sainz, despite this year’s struggles, is extending his contract with the Williams team for at least the next two Formula 1 seasons.

“I’m thrilled to announce my continued journey with the Atlassian Williams F1 Team family!” announced Sainz.

The partnership between Williams and Carlos began quite promisingly in their first season together last year. At first, the Madrid-born driver had to adapt to both a new car and a new team, but in the second half of the season he managed to reach the podium twice. He finished third after the chaotic race in Baku and then achieved another third-place finish in Qatar. We also cannot forget his third place in the sprint race in Austin.

Sainz’s teammate, Alex Albon, did not stand on the podium last season, but he still managed to finish the championship ahead of Sainz - with nine more points in total. Alex therefore finished eighth in the overall drivers’ standings, while Carlos finished ninth. Together, they secured a respectable fifth place for the team in the Constructors’ Championship.

With completely new regulations coming into effect, Williams’ team principal promised a step forward, but ultimately the opposite has happened. The team, based in Grove, UK, had to skip the shakedown in Barcelona due to delays in developing the new car, and they began the season with a massively overweight car.

As a result, Williams currently sits ninth in the Constructors’ Championship out of 11 teams. Sainz is 15th in the Drivers’ Championship with six points, while his teammate sits 16th with five.

Because of the car’s lack of performance this year, speculation began about a possible move for Sainz to another team. Before the summer break, Sainz himself said that he would be considering his future. Audi was mentioned most prominently, as Sainz had already held talks with the team following his departure from Ferrari.

In the end, however, the driver dismissed all of these rumours and decided to continue with Williams.

“I truly believe in the people that form this team, both at the factory and at the racetracks, and the investments and hard work that are happening in the background. We have what it takes to turn this around together. I’m as committed as I was on day one to helping get Williams back to where it belongs, and I look forward to creating more memories with the team.”

According to The Race, Sainz had a very candid discussion with the team’s management, specifically team principal James Vowles, before signing the new contract. The conversation focused on the team’s current situation and how they could turn things around.

James Vowles is also delighted to continue the partnership and praised Sainz’s contribution:

“From the moment he joined, Carlos’ talent behind the steering wheel and dedication back at the factory have been extremely valuable for this project - working day in, day out with his engineers to find every millisecond. He is a leader of this team, and I’m thrilled that he can see what’s possible as we continue to rebuild it. It’s not just his racecraft and speed that stand out, but the work he does behind the scenes in the pursuit of high performance. Carlos shares the belief and ambition we have at Atlassian Williams F1 Team and is pushing every day to deliver it. Along with Alex, I truly believe we have one of the strongest line-ups on the grid, and a team capable of fighting for every ounce of performance together.”

The confirmation of Sainz’s continued stay means that Williams will enter the 2027 season with the same driver lineup as this year. Just one day before the announcement of Carlos’ contract extension, the team also confirmed that the aforementioned Thai driver Alexander Albon would continue with Williams. Albon has been with Williams since 2022 and already had a contract for next year, but it contained an exit clause, which he has decided not to activate.
With Sainz and Albon both staying, Williams now has stability on its side. The next challenge will be to give the pair a car capable of fighting closer to the front once again.