Carlos Sainz Jr. to join Williams in 2025

After learning that he would be losing his seat at Ferrari earlier this year, Sainz became one of the major players in this season’s driver market, with links to Mercedes, Audi, Williams and even Red Bull. Now it has been confirmed that he will join Williams in 2025.

Sainz was the only non-Red Bull driver to win a grand prix in 2023 with his victory at the Singapore Grand Prix. He also won the 2024 Australian Grand Prix as he got his season off to a quick start with three podiums in four races. Ferrari’s form has dropped over the course of the campaign however, and he scored only two further podiums before the summer break.

His confirmation at Williams means current driver Logan Sargeant will be without a seat in 2025 after a challenging two seasons in F1. He barely clung onto his seat in 2023 and sadly looks set to fall off the grid at the end of 2024 after showing little sign of improvement.

Sainz has signed an initial two-year deal with Williams, which will see him remain with the team into the dawn of the new regulations set to take effect in 2026. He alongside Albon will form one of the sports’ most promising driver pairings for Williams as it continues its rise back towards the midfield under the guidance of Team Principal James Vowles.

“I am very happy to announce that I will be joining Williams Racing from 2025 onwards,” Sainz said. “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. I am convinced that this team has all the right ingredients to make history again.

“I will give my absolute best to drive Williams forward alongside every single member of the team.”

Sainz’s F1 career began in 2015 when he joined the Toro Rosso team alongside Max Verstappen. He performed well against his illustrious team-mate, but while Verstappen got the promotion to Red Bull, he stagnated at Toro Rosso before a move to Renault materialised mid-way through 2017.

He switched to McLaren in 2019, and came incredibly close to his first victory at the 2020 Italian Grand Prix, a performance that helped him earn a move to Ferrari for 2021., where he has remained for four seasons, picking up three wins and 18 further podiums to date.

In a statement following this announcement, Williams Team Principal, James Vowles, said: "Carlos joining Williams is a strong statement of intent from both parties. Carlos has demonstrated time and again that he is one of the most talented drivers on the grid, with race-winning pedigree, and this underlines the upwards trajectory we are on.

“Carlos brings not just experience and performance, but also a fierce drive to extract every millisecond out of the team and car; the fit is perfect.

“In Alex and Carlos we will have one of the most formidable driver line-ups on the grid and with huge experience to guide us into the new regulations in 2026. Their belief in this organisation’s mission demonstrates the magnitude of the work going on behind the scenes.

“People should be in no doubt about our ambition and momentum as we continue our journey back to competitiveness – we are here, we are serious and with Dorilton’s backing we are investing in what it takes to return to the front of the grid.

“I also want to thank Logan for everything he has done for the team and know he will continue to fight hard for us in the races ahead.”

Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.