Williams Boss Hails Carlos Sainz as Top Driver

Williams team principal James Vowles has praised new signing Carlos Sainz, calling him “one of the top four drivers, if not the second-best on the grid.” The team announced on Monday that Sainz, who Ferrari decided to drop after this season will join Williams from 2025. Vowles expressed surprise that neither Mercedes nor Red Bull pursued Sainz for next season.

“Look at Carlos,” Vowles said. “Every team he’s joined has seen significant improvement. He’s a performance machine who will transform himself and his team around him.” Vowles believes Sainz’s impact extends beyond his driving skills. Sainz has won three Grand Prix with Ferrari and finished fifth in the drivers’ championship three times. Although closely matched with his teammate Charles Leclerc, he has only beaten him in the standings once.

Sainz lost his Ferrari seat when the team signed Leclerc to a long-term contract and opted to retain Lewis Hamilton over Sainz. Red Bull chose to extend Sergio Perez’s contract rather than take Sainz and Mercedes indicated they would not commit to him, likely promoting their 17-year-old protege Andrea Kimi Antonelli alongside George Russell in 2025.

Vowles previously with Mercedes, acknowledged that Red Bull and Mercedes likely have strategic reasons for their decisions. He highlighted that Sainz’s choice to join Williams over other manufacturer-backed teams like Sauber (becoming Audi in 2026) and Alpine (owned by Renault) was a significant decision and one of his proudest moments.

Vowles admitted that modernizing Williams has strained the team, and the car remains overweight. He remains optimistic, confident that honesty and transparency with Sainz about the team’s current state and future plans will lead to future success.