Carlos Sainz will be a Williams driver. We’ve written and confirmed this repeatedly, even recently, when it seemed that the Spanish driver could make a surprising return to the market in a unique turn of events that would see Colapinto remain at Grove for the next season, with the Madrid-born driver shockingly joining Red Bull and working under Christian Horner.
This scenario could have actually made logical sense: the Argentine driver has no contract for next year, and we believe there will be no developments regarding his future until the winter, which is closely tied to the Red Bull family. A seat at Racing Bulls is highly uncertain and will need to be filled when Sergio Perez is no longer a full-time driver.
The competition for that seat in Red Bull includes both Perez and Liam Lawson, which would leave a vacancy at AlphaTauri, putting Franco Colapinto in pole position. However, this entire scenario could very well fall apart if Perez, apparently, is indeed confirmed for the main team due to his sponsors.
In other words, this entire chain of events is at risk of never materializing. Is this reasoning valid? Well, that’s debatable: it seems contradictory that Franco Colapinto could join the Red Bull family while Carlos Sainz risks struggling at Williams, even if only for a single season (who knows?). Especially if the Argentine driver, under some strange circumstances, could even replace Sergio Perez at the current world champion team.
Sainz at Red Bull: Carlos would have bet on it
The timing hasn’t been favorable for Carlos Sainz: waiting a few more weeks, although risky for him, could have been beneficial for his future. With Perez’s performance continuously and drastically declining, Red Bull would almost certainly have turned to a driver they already know—one who has recently shown he can win races and secure podiums.
Ultimately, the Spaniard chose Williams for his future, although he initially hoped for an opportunity at Red Bull. Max Verstappen’s former teammate at Toro Rosso deserved a chance to prove his potential alongside the Dutch champion, but the team at Milton Keynes decided to go down a different path, either opting for a younger driver or sticking with Perez. For Juan Pablo Montoya, just to name someone who has spoken out in recent weeks, Sainz would have been the ideal partner for Max Verstappen, thanks to the experience he could bring to a team that had a tough year in several aspects.
Carlos considered various options before signing with Williams, including Sauber (Audi) and Alpine, but he viewed a long-term project with the German manufacturer, a brand with which his father has a strong connection. However, he chose Grove, seeing the British team as the best option for more immediate results, although he admitted that the decision was difficult and required a lot of reflection.
Despite rumors of potential incompatibility with Verstappen, Sainz categorically denied these claims: “If my relationship with Max were the real reason I didn’t end up at Red Bull, I can say with certainty that it wouldn’t have been a problem. It would be a mistake if the decision were based solely on that. I’ve already told him: I believe I would get along with him. Back then, at Toro Rosso, we were 16 and 19 years old, but since then, we’ve grown a lot. Today it would be different, as we can see with Charles and Lando, with whom I’ve never had any issues.”
With the agreement now finalized with Williams, Carlos Sainz is preparing to begin a new phase of his career with a team that has ambitions to grow, despite not being at the level of the top teams. With Carlos Sainz’s signing, the team led by James Vowles aims to restore competitiveness and prestige, supported by the experience and determination of a driver like the Madrid-born one, who, without a doubt, is closely watching the market dynamics for the future, possibly with an eye on 2026.
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