Sainz Turns Down Audi, Chooses Williams for 2025 Season

Melbourne, Australia – Carlos Sainz Jr. has revealed that his father is disappointed by his decision to turn down a lucrative offer from Audi, opting instead to drive for Williams in the upcoming 2025 Formula One season. Sainz announced his choice ahead of the Australian Grand Prix, where he looks to make a strong start with his new team.

After losing his seat at Ferrari, Sainz had been courted by multiple teams, including the soon-to-be Audi team and Alpine. He confirmed that his father, Carlos Sainz Sr., a two-time World Rally champion and last year’s Dakar Rally victor with Audi, had hoped he would join the German manufacturer. “My father is still disappointed that I didn’t choose Audi’s great offer a few months ago,” Sainz told a German publication.

After his aspirations to race for top teams Red Bull and Mercedes fell through, Sainz weighed his options between Audi, Alpine, and Williams. “After visiting the factories and having discussions, my gut feeling immediately told me to go to Williams. They want a better future. And when my heart also said yes, the decision was made,” he explained.

Looking ahead, Sainz expressed optimism regarding Williams, citing the team’s strong performance during pre-season testing in Bahrain. “It’s definitely been a positive start. As I’ve said many times now, the positive start began in the Abu Dhabi test,” Sainz noted. He emphasized the motivated atmosphere within the Grove-based outfit, saying, “I felt I had just joined a team full of motivation – full of people wanting to bring this team back to the front.”

Sainz feels confident about the development of the car, noting its reliability and weight, aspects where Williams has struggled in the past. “So far, testing has been positive – reliability, weight of the car, just simple things that maybe in the past, Williams wasn’t getting spot on. This year, it’s been the case,” he said.

As the season opener approaches, Sainz is focused on progress. “Progress means being more competitive, fixing the things we didn’t get right last year,” he explained. “Having said that, what you call positive – are we going to be half a second, one second off the leaders, I don’t know. But hopefully, we can show progress.”

Although his father remains hopeful of seeing Sainz in Audi colors, Carlos Jr. stated he believes in Williams’ potential. “Happy faces, happy people. I see people full of motivation and that’s what I care about the most because that’s what’s going to sustain medium to long-term success,” he concluded, expressing his commitment to making Williams competitive once again.