Confirmed: Carlos Sainz saga over as Williams seal major coup for F1 2025 and beyond

Carlos Sainz has signed a two-year contract with Williams with ‘options to extend’ beyond 2026

Williams have announced the signing of Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz on a multi-year contract from the F1 2025 season.

Sainz had been left without a seat for F1 2025 after being informed last winter that he will be replaced by seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari at the end of the current season.

Carlos Sainz joins Williams on two-year contract from F1 2025

His best-ever start to a season in F1 2024, culminating in his third career victory at the Australian Grand Prix, had seen him linked with a number of teams including Mercedes, Alpine and long-term admirers Audi, who will take over the existing Sauber squad in time for F1’s 2026 regulation changes.

However, Sainz has put his faith in Williams, signing a multi-year contract for until the end of the F1 2026 season “with options to extend.”

The 29-year-old will become Alex Albon’s team-mate for the F1 2025 season, replacing Logan Sargeant.

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Sainz said: “I am very happy to announce that I will be joining Williams Racing from 2025 onwards.

“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.”

Vowles, the Williams team principal, 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.”

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