Carlos Sainz has confirmed his move to Williams Racing in a multi-year F1 deal, thereby ending a long-standing rumour mill.
On the first day of the summer break, Sainz has confirmed his move to Williams Racing after signing a multi-year F1 deal starting from 2025 season to complete its line-up alongside Alexander Albon, thereby replacing Logan Sargeant in the process.
A move to Williams gained momentum in the last few days as James Vowles suggested of signing a contract in his media session on Sunday. This also ends a long-standing rumour mill where several F1 drivers awaited the decision of Sainz for their own move.
This will be Sainz’s fifth F1 team in his career after racing for Toro Rosso, Renault, McLaren and Ferrari. In the announcement for Sainz, Williams also thanked Sargeant for his services to the team where he slated to see-through the 2024 season.
The team intends to support him in his future course. “I am very happy to announce that I will be joining Williams Racing from 2025 onwards,” said Sainz. “It is no secret that this year’s driver market has been exceptionally complex for various reasons and that it has taken me some time to announce my decision.
“However, I am fully confident that Williams is the right place for me to continue my F1 journey and I am extremely proud of joining such a historic and successful team, where many of my childhood heroes drove in the past and made their mark on our sport. The ultimate goal of bringing Williams back to where it belongs, at the front of the grid, is a challenge that I embrace with excitement and positivity.
“I am convinced that this team has all the right ingredients to make history again and starting on January 1 I will give my absolute best to drive Williams forward alongside every single member of the team. I want to thank James Vowles and the entire Board of Williams for their trust and determination.
“Their solid leadership and convictions have played an important role in my decision-making. I truly believe that the core of every successful team lies amongst their people and their culture. Williams is synonymous with heritage and pure racing, the foundations of the project that lies ahead of us are very strong and I am really looking forward to being part of it starting next year.”
At the same time, Vowles added: “Carlos joining Williams is a strong statement of intent from both parties. Carlos has demonstrated time and again that he is one of the most talented drivers on the grid, with race-winning pedigree, and this underlines the upwards trajectory we are on. Carlos brings not just experience and performance, but also a fierce drive to extract every millisecond out of the team and car; the fit is perfect.
“In Alex and Carlos we will have one of the most formidable driver line-ups on the grid and with huge experience to guide us into the new regulations in 2026. Their belief in this organisation’s mission demonstrates the magnitude of the work going on behind the scenes.
“People should be in no doubt about our ambition and momentum as we continue our journey back to competitiveness – we are here, we are serious and with Dorilton’s backing we are investing in what it takes to return to the front of the grid. I also want to thank Logan for everything he has done for the team and know he will continue to fight hard for us in the races ahead.”
UPDATE: Here’s what Ferrari’s Frederic Vasseur said regarding the move of Sainz to Williams.
Here’s Carlos Sainz in Belgium
Here’s Carlos Sainz and others in Hungary
Here’s last on the driver market from Silverstone
Here’s these F1 drivers statements from Austria
Here’s link to a F1 Discord channel, join in to interact