Carlos Sainz is becoming one of the central figures in Formula 1’s developing driver market, with Williams reportedly prepared to make a major financial commitment to keep him at Grove. The British team is said to be ready to offer the Spaniard around €30 million, but despite the size of that proposal, Carlos Sainz continues to assess what other opportunities could emerge for 2027.
The reported salary would place Carlos Sainz among Formula 1’s highest-paid drivers and underlines how important Williams considers the former Ferrari driver to its long-term project. However, a difficult 2026 season has changed the competitive picture, and Carlos Sainz is increasingly looking beyond his current team as he considers where his best chance of returning to the front of the grid may lie.
Williams reportedly prepares €30m offer for Carlos Sainz
Williams would be prepared to offer Carlos Sainz a salary comparable with the highest earners on the grid in an attempt to prevent him from looking elsewhere. The proposed €30 million package would represent a major commitment for a team dealing with significant difficulties during the 2026 season.
The offer is designed above all to convince Carlos Sainz that his future should remain at Grove at a time when he has increasingly been linked with alternatives, including Audi. A similar report has also detailed the reported €30 million Williams proposal for Carlos Sainz and the wider choices facing the Spaniard.
If accepted, the salary would put Carlos Sainz among Formula 1’s best-paid drivers and reportedly above Fernando Alonso and George Russell. It would be a significant show of faith from James Vowles, who pushed hard to bring the Madrid-born driver to Williams before the start of the 2025 season.
Why Williams values Carlos Sainz so highly
Carlos Sainz’s first season at Grove was built up gradually and eventually produced encouraging results, including his podium in Baku. Williams believes his value extends far beyond results alone.
Carlos Sainz has accumulated experience inside major teams such as McLaren and Ferrari, organisations accustomed to demanding working methods, high standards and constant pressure for precision. That background has made him particularly useful during Williams’ rebuilding process, where his experience can help guide the technical and operational development of the team.
His personal qualities are also considered valuable in creating cohesion within the garage and helping to build a stronger working environment. Those characteristics can ultimately influence performance on track, particularly during difficult periods when experience becomes even more important.
However, that contribution comes with expectations of its own. Carlos Sainz wants to be treated as a leading figure and to compete within a project capable of being built around his ambitions.
Williams’ difficult 2026 has changed the equation
Thirty million euros may still not be enough. Although Carlos Sainz continues to be linked with Audi, he is also closely monitoring other teams that could potentially offer more attractive sporting projects.
When Williams originally signed Carlos Sainz, there was discussion of an arrangement that could give him the possibility of leaving Grove if a leading team had a seat available. The present contractual picture, as reported by F1 Oversteer, has Carlos Sainz tied to Williams until the end of 2026, with options potentially linked to performance that could extend the relationship into 2027 and 2028.
The progress made in 2025 initially appeared to justify the decision to join Williams. The downturn in 2026, however, has pushed Carlos Sainz to examine the wider paddock again and consider whether another team could provide a faster route back towards victories.
Audi, Alpine and Aston Martin among Carlos Sainz’s alternatives
Audi is not the only team attracting attention. Alpine, Aston Martin and Red Bull are also among the possibilities Carlos Sainz is monitoring as the 2027 driver market develops.
The Spaniard’s desire to return to a front-running team is clear. Carlos Sainz wants another opportunity to stand on the top step of the podium and fight regularly at the sharp end of Formula 1.
Alpine could offer some familiar technical elements, including a similar power-unit environment, but within what could develop into a different overall project. Nevertheless, a move there would not necessarily guarantee an immediate fight for victories.
Aston Martin presents a different type of uncertainty. Adrian Newey was expected to help transform the British team alongside the arrival of Honda power, with the ambition of pushing Aston Martin towards the leading positions and challenging Formula 1’s established top teams.
So far, the team remains in a rebuilding phase and has already introduced the B-specification version of its car at the Hungaroring. It is gradually attempting to move closer to the midfield group. Fernando Alonso’s own position has also been the subject of considerable discussion, although the Spaniard has addressed speculation surrounding his Aston Martin future.
Why Carlos Sainz is watching Red Bull closely
Red Bull potentially represents the most attractive option, although the Milton Keynes team also has weaknesses to address. Its 2026 campaign has been characterised by significant highs and lows, despite having a solid internally developed power unit.
The car has generally allowed its drivers to extract more of its potential on Sundays than on Saturdays and has shown competitiveness across different circuit layouts. Even so, questions continue to surround Max Verstappen’s longer-term future.
Speculation around Max Verstappen has intensified during the season, including renewed discussion following Max Verstappen and Toto Wolff’s summer-break meeting. Other rumours have linked the Dutchman with different possibilities, ranging from a change of Formula 1 team to eventually exploring opportunities outside the championship.
It is that Red Bull seat that Carlos Sainz is believed to be watching particularly closely. If Max Verstappen were to leave, an opening at Milton Keynes could completely reshape the 2027 driver market.
Could Red Bull offer Carlos Sainz the title chance he wants?
Audi and Alpine may represent projects with significant long-term potential, but neither would necessarily allow Carlos Sainz to challenge immediately for Formula 1’s leading positions. Red Bull could be a different proposition.
A move to Milton Keynes could theoretically give Carlos Sainz the opportunity to compete much closer to Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren, and therefore offer the possibility of fighting for a world championship.
If Max Verstappen were no longer there, Carlos Sainz could also potentially enter the team as its leading established driver, fitting his desire to become the central figure in a competitive project.
For now, however, all of those possibilities remain dependent on how the driver market develops. Carlos Sainz effectively faces not a simple crossroads but a roundabout with several possible exits.
By the end of the season, he may have to make a defining decision: remain with the familiar Williams project and accept a substantial financial commitment, or gamble on an alternative that could offer a better opportunity to win again.
The €30 million offer is certainly significant. Whether it is significant enough to outweigh Carlos Sainz’s desire to return to the front of Formula 1 is another question.
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