Carlos Sainz’s F1 future and 2025 expectations were a shrouded mystery for several months. Even now that Sainz has confirmed Williams as his team for 2025, it isn’t known why the Spaniard picked the Grove-based outfit over a manufacturer like Audi. Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner reveals what could’ve been the deciding factor for Sainz.
“He spoke with both the teams and I don’t think Williams is going to pay more than Audi would pay. For Carlos it isn’t only about money”, said Steiner on the Red Flags podcast, claiming money wasn’t the deciding factor in Sainz’s Williams move.
@WilliamsRacing pic.twitter.com/HCBmiMFhRf
— Carlos Sainz (@Carlossainz55) July 29, 2024
Although Williams is no longer suffering from financial issues following Dorilton Capital’s takeover, they’re still running a tight ship. Audi, on the other hand, is part of the Volkswagen group — one of the largest automakers on the planet. So, it is a no-brainer that Audi would’ve offered the better deal in monetary terms.
Steiner added, “It is about ‘where will I [Sainz] be in 2-3 years'”. The Grove outfit has a strong partnership with Mercedes, whose 2026 engine is deemed to be a lure for the #55 driver. However, just in case, Williams cannot deliver a good enough car to take a step forward with the Mercedes engine, Sainz may want to leave too.
The former Haas boss explained that the Williams contract might allow Sainz to leave after 2026 via an exit clause to consider other options. Before the official announcement, there were reports of Williams including exit clauses in their contract offer to secure Sainz’s services. However, Williams boss James Vowles had good reason to do so.
Vowles needs the leader in Sainz at Williams
Vowles made it clear a few months ago, that Sainz was his #1 target for 2025. The Williams boss gave the reason as to why Sainz should join the team by highlighting the hiring of senior personnel and the trajectory of the team. Vowles recently explained why he wanted the Spaniard this badly.
“I needed a leader, not just someone who is quick in the car. I wanted everything around them to be just right in order to create performance. Carlos has that”, said the 45-year-old in an exclusive with Formula 1.com. He added, “You’ll see he has a history of ending in a much better place in the team than when he started”.
Sainz has been the most sought-after driver in the driver market this year. His 2023 Singapore GP win highlighted his Alonso-esque mastermind skills and how he is able to make strategic decisions in the car. This probably led Vowles to see a natural leader in Sainz.
