Carlos Sainz Joins Williams F1 Team for 2025 Season

Carlos Sainz, the Spanish racing driver, has officially decided to join the Williams Formula 1 team for the upcoming 2025 season. The British team made this announcement on Monday.

The two parties have reached an agreement on a two-year contract, with options to extend their partnership. Sainz will be taking the place of American driver Logan Sargeant and will team up with Thai driver Alexander Albon.

With three Grand Prix wins under his belt, Sainz was on the lookout for a new team after Lewis Hamilton, a seven-time world champion, signed with Ferrari ahead of the current season.

“I’m very happy to announce that I’ll be joining Williams in 2025,” Sainz said in a statement from the team. He acknowledged that the driver market had been exceptionally complicated this season and it took him some time to make his decision.

“Overall, I’m fully convinced that Williams is the right place for me to continue my journey in F1. I’m extremely proud to join such a historic and competitive team, where many of my childhood heroes have raced and made their mark,” he added, expressing his ambition to bring Williams back to the top of the grid.

As for his current performance, Sainz won the Australian Grand Prix this season and is sitting fifth in the driver standings with 162 points, just behind his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, who has 177 points.

Sainz’s F1 journey began in 2015 with Toro Rosso alongside Max Verstappen. Since then, he has raced for Renault and McLaren before his move to Ferrari in 2021. He boasts 23 podium finishes in his F1 career.

William has a storied history with nine Constructors’ Championships but has struggled in recent years, finishing seventh or lower since 2017 and currently sitting ninth out of ten teams with just four points this season.

“Carlos’ arrival is a strong statement of intent for both parties,” said James Vowles, the team director. “He has shown time and again that he’s one of the most talented drivers on the grid. He’s not only bringing experience and performance but is also eager to maximize every second on the team and the car.”

Looking ahead to 2026, Vowles expressed confidence that with both Carlos and Alex in the team, Williams will have one of the best driver duos to guide them through the introduction of new regulations.