In a surprise move, Carlos Sainz, a three-time Grand Prix winner with Ferrari, signed a two-year deal with UK-based Williams Racing.
Formula One driver Carlos Sainz has signed with Williams Racing for the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
The Spaniard is in his final season at Ferrari and currently ranks fifth in the Formula One (F1) driver standings.
“I am very happy to announce that I will be joining Williams Racing from 2025 onwards,” Sainz said on Monday. “It is no secret that this year’s driver market has been exceptionally complex for various reasons and that it has taken me some time to announce my decision.
“However, I am fully confident that Williams is the right place for me to continue my F1 journey and I am extremely proud of joining such a historic and successful team, where many of my childhood heroes drove in the past and made their mark on our sport. The ultimate goal of bringing Williams back to where it belongs, at the front of the grid, is a challenge that I embrace with excitement and positivity,” he said.
Sainz collected his third career F1 win at the Australian Grand Prix in March. He also has four third-place finishes this season, most recently at the Austrian Grand Prix on June 30.
The 29-year-old replaces Logan Sargeant and will race alongside Alex Albon at Williams. Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton is replacing Sainz at Ferrari.
Sainz, who had also been of interest to Sauber/Audi and Renault-owned Alpine, said he was convinced Williams had “all the right ingredients to make history again”.
