Carlos Sainz did not leave Ferrari by choice. The decision had already been made at the highest level, with Frédéric Vasseur, John Elkann and Benedetto Vigna opting to bring Lewis Hamilton to Maranello. As a result, there was no longer room for the Spanish driver, who was forced—despite his own wishes—to say goodbye to the Scuderia.
It certainly wasn’t because Carlos Sainz had been underperforming. On several occasions, he matched—and sometimes outperformed—Charles Leclerc, finishing ahead of his Ferrari teammate in multiple races. Together, they formed a balanced and highly effective driver pairing, enjoying not only strong on-track chemistry but also an excellent personal relationship. However, once Ferrari had made its decision, there was no possibility of continuing together, and Carlos Sainz was left to explore his options.
A return to Red Bull was one possibility, with discussions taking place with senior figures at the Milton Keynes-based team. Mercedes also emerged as a potential destination, where Carlos Sainz could have replaced Lewis Hamilton, while several other opportunities were also considered. In the end, however, Williams secured his signature after presenting an attractive technical and financial proposal.
Many viewed Williams as a fallback option. Carlos Sainz, however, repeatedly explained that he genuinely believed in the project after James Vowles and the Grove-based team’s leadership presented him with an ambitious and credible long-term vision. It was understood that 2025—the final season under Formula 1’s ground-effect regulations—would be a transitional campaign before the new technical era.
Williams had performed well during that period, with Carlos Sainz even collecting several podium finishes, while the team appeared to be building strong momentum ahead of the new regulations. The expectation was that the next generation of cars would finally give him a competitive package capable of supporting his long-term ambition of fighting for the Formula 1 World Championship.
Williams prepares a two-stage technical offensive
Instead, the 2026 season has turned into a harsh reality check.
Rather than taking the expected step forward, Williams has struggled to deliver the level of performance both the team and Carlos Sainz had hoped for. Unsurprisingly, the Spaniard has grown increasingly frustrated with the competitiveness of the car, and that dissatisfaction has naturally led him to begin evaluating what opportunities could become available for 2027 and beyond.
Williams is fully aware of the situation and is now doing everything possible to convince Carlos Sainz that the project still deserves his commitment.
Team principal James Vowles has confirmed that the first important upgrade package will arrive at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort. Alongside those new components, the FW48 is also expected to receive a significant weight reduction, addressing one of the car’s key weaknesses. However, the most important phase of the development programme will come after the summer break.
At the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, Williams plans to introduce what is effectively a “B-spec” version of its 2026 Formula 1 car. The weight reduction scheduled for Zandvoort will simply be the first step in a much broader development programme that will substantially revise both the chassis and the aerodynamic package.
The team’s objective is clear: provide tangible proof that the project is moving in the right direction, not only for Carlos Sainz but also for Alex Albon. In recent races, Albon has increasingly found himself behind his Spanish teammate, with Carlos Sainz now consistently outperforming him across multiple Grand Prix weekends.
Williams must restore confidence in its project
Williams now faces the challenge of delivering concrete answers.
The team needs to reassure both of its drivers while proving that its long-term project remains firmly on course. The goal is to restore confidence throughout the organisation and demonstrate that there is still significant potential to transform the second half of the 2026 Formula 1 season and build genuine momentum heading into 2027.
For that reason, the Grove-based outfit is placing enormous importance on its technical development programme in an effort to convince Carlos Sainz that he does not need to look elsewhere for his future.
The Mercedes power unit, together with the complete rear-end package supplied by the current championship-leading team, provides Williams with an extremely solid and reliable technical foundation. The real challenge now is building a complete and competitive Formula 1 car around that platform. No one realistically expects Williams to immediately begin fighting for podiums and victories. Such expectations would be unrealistic given the team’s current position on the grid.
Instead, the medium-term objective is to climb through the midfield and gradually close the gap to Formula 1’s leading teams. For Carlos Sainz, that represents the immediate target before potentially setting his sights on something much bigger by the 2028 season.
Time is running out for Williams
Inside Williams, belief in the project remains strong.
The team has undergone significant restructuring, recruited a number of new engineers and invested heavily in rebuilding its technical organisation. The foundations for future success appear to be in place, but those investments must now begin producing visible results on track.
Carlos Sainz chose Williams because he believed in the vision presented to him and because he expected to see steady progress towards competitiveness. So far, however, those expectations have not been fully met.
If the major upgrade packages planned for Zandvoort and Baku fail to deliver the anticipated improvements, Williams could find itself facing a much bigger challenge than simply improving lap times. The team may also have to convince one of Formula 1’s most highly regarded drivers that the ambitious project which persuaded him to join Grove still has a realistic path towards becoming a genuine front-running contender in the years ahead.
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