Why Carlos Sainz' move to Williams was the best option for his career

After months of speculation, countless rumours and lengthy negotiations, Carlos Sainz has finally secured his seat for the 2025 Formula 1 season.

The F1 ‘silly season’ was well and truly kicked off in February with the stunning news that Lewis Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes after 12 years with the team and heading to Ferrari for next year on a multi-year deal.

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With the sensational transfer and Sainz’s contract being up at the end of the season, it immediately became clear that the Spaniard’s time with the Maranello squad would be coming to an end.

Since the announcement, the 29-year-old has been the main talk of the paddock in terms of free agents that are available for 2025, with several teams eyeing his signature throughout this season.

Williams confirmed on Monday that the Spaniard will be switching red for blue next year and, despite some disappointment among fans that he won't replace Hamilton at Mercedes, this is the best move for his career.

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What doors were open for Sainz?

When you think of Carlos Sainz, you think of a driver at the top of the sport, capable of regular top point-scoring positions, fighting for podiums and worthy of a drive at a top team.

This has been more than apparent in 2024, as so far, we have seen a more aggressive Sainz than before – mainly down to the Spaniard not having anything to lose – which has seen him grab a win at the Australian Grand Prix, the third of his career.

It did not come as a surprise to see Sainz mentioned in the running for a drive at Mercedes and, until very recently, Red Bull and either one of these moves, many would argue, would be a deserved one.

However, it soon became very clear how unrealistic a move to either would be. Mercedes have been upping their search for Hamilton’s replacement in recent weeks, with Sainz being heavily linked to do a straight swap with the Brit, but the Silver Arrows’ attention now seems to be fully on Italian teenage sensation Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

As for Red Bull, the Spaniard has previous ties with them having come through their driver academy and spent almost three seasons with their junior team Toro Rosso. But that door was slammed shut when they retained Sergio Perez for another two years.

Sainz seemed keen to secure his future as soon as possible, whereas Mercedes and Red Bull had a long of a list of drivers to consider and needed time to deliberate, not wanting to keep the Spaniard waiting. This ultimately left Sainz with the daunting prospect of going from fighting for race wins, to moving backwards into the midfield or even further behind.

As doors began to close and potential seats started to dwindle, Sainz was left with just two options - Audi or Williams.

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Is Williams the best option?

Sainz was heavily rumoured to be making a move to Audi, with the German team being an exciting project with the work behind the scenes and the development of their own power unit.

The problem in Sainz’s case is that they will not join the sport until 2026 when the new regulations come into play, meaning if he was to join the project going on at Audi, he would be racing for Sauber in 2025.

While his former McLaren boss Andrea Seidl had been named to head up the team, it will now be another of Sainz's previous bosses- former Ferrari principal Mattia Binotto.

Sauber have one of, if not the slowest packages on the grid, being the only team not to score a point so far this season.

2025 will be the final year under the current regulations before the sport goes through one of its biggest engine and aerodynamic changes for decades, and it is unlikely that the current order would be different from what it is now, which will leave Sainz stranded at the back of the grid and struggling to get out of Q1.

Furthermore, when Audi do enter the sport, they are not only unknown but also completely inexperienced. It is not yet clear if their engine will be competitive and can propel them up the pecking order.

That being said, it is not known where anyone currently stands with their development for 2026 and thus it could be argued that a move to Williams could be just as risky.

But one thing that is clear, is that the Grove-based squad are heading in the right direction. Since joining the team, James Vowles has had an incredible impact, with strong recruitment behind the scenes and a turnaround in form on the track that saw them grab seventh in the constructors’ championship in 2023.

While Audi do have potential, so do Williams and that has been proven on the track, something that the German manufacturer have – for obvious reasons – not been able to show. Meanwhile, the British team are making big strides in all aspects of their organisation, making them, in the short term at least, the better option for the Spaniard.

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Will Sainz be able to perform?

While Williams does appear to be the more attractive option, there is no denying that it is a step back for Sainz and his career from what he had at Ferrari, for now at least.

In 2025, the Spaniard will most likely be battling to get into Q3, rather than fighting for pole positions, which at the age of 29 and being a regular podium finisher in recent times, is a concern for his career.

There is also the question of whether he will be able to outperform his team-mate Alex Albon. No doubt the arrival of Sainz comes as a significant upgrade over the struggling Logan Sargeant, but Albon has been well established in the team since 2022 and will certainly present a challenge for the Spaniard as he is more familiar with the team.

Come 2026, Williams are putting their full faith in Mercedes to provide them with a competent power unit, as they look to right the wrongs from the ground-effect era, where they have fallen far behind Red Bull.

But as mentioned, the team is making huge improvements off the track and now with an exciting driver lineup of Albon and Sainz, who are capable of producing results, the project is an attractive one and one to keep an eye on over the next couple years.

The only questions now are whether the team can continue the momentum into next year and if they can take advantage of the new rules to return to where they once were.

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