Several team leaders are reluctant to shed light on their driver line-ups for the future. Williams boss James Vowles, however, does not seem to be one of them. The 44-year-old has made it abundantly clear that Carlos Sainz is his main target.
As quoted by skysports.com, Vowles said,
“Sainz is our number one target. There’s a reason why I left Mercedes to come here. This isn’t the Williams of old. Having Sainz on our list shows we are prepared to have a driver line-up that I think will be one of the best on the grid if it’s achieved“.
Vowles expects Sainz to find the Williams seat attractive as his side has been investing heavily to get the team back to the top of F1. His optimism for Williams’ future did not end there as he concluded by stating,
“We started this year poorly but keep an eye out for us. This is a different entity to what it was before“.
Williams has indeed been on the rise, even though they did not start 2024 particularly well. Their strong showing during the Canadian GP qualifying suggests that there are better things to come for them. Such results could tempt Sainz to join the Grove-based outfit.
Williams’ rise could be tempting for Carlos Sainz
In Canada, Williams’ Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant qualified in P10 and P13 respectively. Interestingly, Albon out-qualified not only Sainz, but also the latter’s teammate Leclerc.
As a result, Sainz could be swayed by Williams, who want a replacement for Sargeant heading into 2025. For Sainz, the iconic British team could be a good fit, especially because he doesn’t have a lot of options to choose from anymore.
Inside the top ten and ready to battle for points tomorrow pic.twitter.com/C43zJvfV7N
— Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) June 8, 2024
Red Bull extended Sergio Perez’s contract and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff confirmed that Kimi Antonelli is their priority.
One team that Sainz could sign for is Audi, but they have given the Madrid-born driver a very tight deadline, unlike Williams, who are ready to be patient.
Vowles isn’t in a hurry to announce his 2025 lineup either, joking that he will let the world know by December. One thing is certain, however. Williams will welcome Sainz with open arms if he does to choose to join them after leaving Ferrari.
