Carlos Sainz left ‘tempted’ by rival switch before making Williams decision – report

Carlos Sainz was reportedly “tempted” by joining the burgeoning Audi F1 project, but opted not to sign for them due to the ground they had to make up on their rivals.

Sainz committed to a multi-year deal with Williams from F1 2025 as he gets set to depart Ferrari, with team principal James Vowles having called the move “monumental” for himself and the team as a whole.

Carlos Sainz ‘tempted’ by Audi before committing to Williams

Given the options he had before him, Audi having been long-time suitors of Sainz before he chose Williams, the Spanish driver is said to have liked the idea of joining the OEM [original equipment manufacturer], but the team’s poor performance this season and off-track changes had led him to reconsider.

‘ Sainz was tempted by the Sauber/Audi offer, as it offered him the chance to lead a huge project – funded by a manufacturer – in their first chapter in Formula 1,’ reporter Lawrence Barretto wrote on the official Formula 1 website .

‘However, Sauber have really struggled in recent times and of the three offers, they have the most ground to make up – and have just seen some upheaval with Andreas Seidl leaving as CEO and Sainz’s former Ferrari boss Mattia Binotto coming in to run the project.’

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As for where he will be driving, however, Williams team boss Vowles was thrilled at being able to land Sainz’s signature to partner Alex Albon, believing this to be a massive step towards their goal.

On top of that, he called it a “monumental” achievement to beat two factory teams in Audi and Alpine to land the 29-year-old and a testament to the work Williams are putting in to put themselves back at the front of the field.

“I think it’s a huge, huge event for Williams , to have two of the best drivers in the world fighting at the front,” Vowles told media including PlanetF1.com after Sainz’s signing was confirmed.

“I think it is very much a sign of things to come, the fact that we are prepared to have the investment required to be there – and a lot of it you can’t see.

“The one that you can materially see is what we’re doing by effectively putting money where it should be, into the best drivers that are available to us.

“In terms of beating an OEM and one of the largest in the world, I’m incredibly proud.

“I said this to Carlos anyway, this is one of the proudest moments of my career, and I’ve had lots of great moments in my career, and the fact he chose us above all else is a huge, huge, monumental decision.

“It’s monumental to beat these two organisations because they’re both incredible organisations in their own right and we can’t underestimate them. The moment you do that is the moment you’d lose to them in the championship.

“But what Carlos recognised from us, as I said, and much of it you won’t see and you will never see I’m afraid, but I did expose it to him is what we’re changing on the inside – and that’s what’s exciting.”

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