Revealed: What made Carlos Sainz choose Williams over Audi, Alpine interest

Williams team principal James Vowles believes the “warts and all” conversations he had with Carlos Sainz about the honest trajectory of the team helped win his signature for F1 2025 and beyond.

Sainz penned a deal with Williams for the next two seasons with the option to extend as he put pen to paper on his next step in Formula 1, as his time with Ferrari comes to an end at the conclusion of the F1 2024 season.

‘Warts and all’ Carlos Sainz talks help win battle with Audi, Alpine for his signature

Having been known to have had offers from elsewhere on the grid, with Audi having pursued Sainz for some time to look to spearhead their F1 entry from 2026 and Alpine having also reportedly made a late approach, the Spanish driver ultimately opted for Williams from next season.

Vowles revealed he has been in talks with Sainz and his management for months, going back to last season in his pursuit of the Ferrari driver as he looks to form the best partnership possible moving forward.

But for as to how he won out over factory teams, he believes the team’s honesty in negotiations is what helped push them over the edge – and believes this to be a big moment for Williams.

“It actually started way back in Abu Dhabi last year, and the message I gave to him and to his family at the time is no different to the message I gave him last weekend in Spa, to be clear, and I believe that’s what’s won it,” Vowles explained to media including PlanetF1.com.

“From the beginning, I gave him, warts and all: ‘Here’s what’s going to happen, we are going to go backwards, here’s why, here’s what we’re investing in, here’s what’s coming, here’s why I’m excited by this project, and it’s your choice very much if you want to be a part of it.’

“But I know that we will have success in the future, and I know it’s going to cost us in the short term and I’m confident that that honesty and transparency has paid off.

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“As much as there was more weight on the car, the actual aerodynamic performance of the car is in a reasonable place. We’ve just got to shed that weight off so that we can start fighting up at the front.

“I think what Carlos sees is what you need in the circumstance that he’ll be in is strong leadership – and I’m not describing myself, I’m using his words, it’s very big-headed of me to describe otherwise – and there’s not one person, it’s a team and the right investment to go forward, and he can see that with us.

“I think it’s a huge, huge event for Williams , to have two of the best drivers in the world fighting at the front.

“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 – 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. That’s what’s exciting.”

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