Sainz to Williams
Discussion
The best of an undeserved set of choices.
Williams has been beset by inertia. It hasn’t kept pace with F1’s modern design, development and construction practices. Lowe found that out the hard way.
It’s been a slow ship to turn around. Hopefully Vowles has finally got it on the right track. It’ll take time, and Sainz will help.
Williams has been beset by inertia. It hasn’t kept pace with F1’s modern design, development and construction practices. Lowe found that out the hard way.
It’s been a slow ship to turn around. Hopefully Vowles has finally got it on the right track. It’ll take time, and Sainz will help.
Dingu said:
To be honest, based on the last 20 ish years it wouldn’t surprise me if Williams win something before Ferrari!
Only slightly tongue in cheek.
ETA: WDC or WCC not a race!
I suppose, If Merc nail the new PU regs and Ferrari don't, Williams could easily be ahead of Ferrari.Only slightly tongue in cheek.
ETA: WDC or WCC not a race!
Edited by Dingu on Tuesday 30th July 08:24
4.7AMV8 said:
asfault said:
If Antonelli ends up being a dud at mercedes for any reason Carlos would be a shoe in for that seat as a back up?
This in spades. Antonelli proves that F1 was always a step too far or at least a top team was (Albon Red Bull anyone?). Sainz gives some experience to Albon (not that he really needs it now) for a year, keeping Sainz current, then swap over to Mercedes for 26 and Antonelli to Williams. Carlos would not have signed for a relatively poor contract so it’s clear the team is in a better place financially going forward than its recent past. Vowles appears to have attracted some good experience engineers to the cause. Carlos knows the plan. The big rumour is Mers 2026 engined looks to be very good, Williams needs to produce the car. It’s all about 2026.
Sainz to Williams looks like the most sensible choice for me.
The Audi program looks to be in turmoil and are unlikely to be anywhere near the front come 2026. May be unconnected, but I felt the Sainz/Audi deal was off when Sainz Snr left the Audi Dakar program and signed for Ford earlier this year.
Alpine, I think everyone has the same opinion despite Flavio traying to resurrect things.
The one year deals on the table may have have lead to short term success, but in 2026 he could have been in the same position as he was this year, looking for a seat.
On the whole though,I think its Ferrari who have made the wrong decision and it should be Leclerc looking for another drive rather than Sainz. Yes, Leclerc has great one lap speed, but in my opinion its Sainz who is the better all-rounder.
The Audi program looks to be in turmoil and are unlikely to be anywhere near the front come 2026. May be unconnected, but I felt the Sainz/Audi deal was off when Sainz Snr left the Audi Dakar program and signed for Ford earlier this year.
Alpine, I think everyone has the same opinion despite Flavio traying to resurrect things.
The one year deals on the table may have have lead to short term success, but in 2026 he could have been in the same position as he was this year, looking for a seat.
On the whole though,I think its Ferrari who have made the wrong decision and it should be Leclerc looking for another drive rather than Sainz. Yes, Leclerc has great one lap speed, but in my opinion its Sainz who is the better all-rounder.
TheDeuce said:
Muzzer79 said:
MitchT said:
There's a seat at a resurgent Mercedes and he goes to Williams. What am I missing?
1 year deal at Mercedes apparently.He's got as much influence over his future as anyone else has over it, he's a very solid driver.
I'm with the other posters that have said this is not a bad move for Sainz. In a transitional season with Vowles sorting out the operational issues that held the team back, a decent driver (Albon) is putting Williams' compromised car in or near Q3 almost every race. It's not a bad car at all, and a more conventional off-season with the right processes in place could see them as regular Q3 contenders/points finishers in 2025.
I'll stick my neck out here and predict that Williams will get at least one podium in 2025 on a day that everything clicks for them, and will finish P5 in the WCC (unless Newey ends up at Aston Martin!).
Has anyone mentioned Newey potentially joining Williams?
Clarkson mentioned he was looking for house in Oxfordshire.
JV has lined up two top level drivers, backers seem to be up for it, so perhaps this is what Newey wanted to see in the team before he commits.
Also for everyone doubting Williams, just remember where Mclaren were a few years back with Honda engines, and then Renault, then Merc?
Time will tell.
Clarkson mentioned he was looking for house in Oxfordshire.
JV has lined up two top level drivers, backers seem to be up for it, so perhaps this is what Newey wanted to see in the team before he commits.
Also for everyone doubting Williams, just remember where Mclaren were a few years back with Honda engines, and then Renault, then Merc?
Time will tell.
Dashnine said:
Not sure why he’d need to move if AN went to Williams, as it’s a shorter commute by car (or helicopter) to Grove than to Milton Keynes from where he lives now.
There's a conflicting rumor Mrs Newey was house shopping in Maranello...I wouldn't pay much attention tbh! I would assume that wherever he goes to next, he will largely work from his home, in the UK, and that home will be wherever he wants to live in the UK. Might that be in the Cotswolds near JC? Quite possibly, why not? It's a lovely part of the country. It just doesn't mean anything, even if true.
I think when Lowe joined Williams, Claire was still very much in total control of the team and making all the decisions. Don't get me wrong, I admire her doing what she had done since taking over Williams with many challenges to her and her team. But from the outside, it looked like even with lots of talented people in the team, her level of involvement meant that a lot of decisions were still being fully approved by her before commencement. Their supply chain seemed to be in tatters towards the final few years with supplier issues and inability to get cars out for testing on time.
JV now seems to be building harmony in the team based on mutual trust that all the experts coming in can be trusted to do the best job they can, and he's just gelling them all together.
From Williams point of view. This is a great move for the team. It's a statement saying "We're in a position now that we don't need to have subsidised drivers in our lineup."
From Carlos point of view, I've ticked boxes in being a driver in the RB Family, Renault, McLaren, Ferrari and now Williams. The last 3 seats he's had is what I would call "Old Guards" who have such deep history in the sport and have continued to be in the sports where others have falled and had to be revivied.
JV now seems to be building harmony in the team based on mutual trust that all the experts coming in can be trusted to do the best job they can, and he's just gelling them all together.
From Williams point of view. This is a great move for the team. It's a statement saying "We're in a position now that we don't need to have subsidised drivers in our lineup."
From Carlos point of view, I've ticked boxes in being a driver in the RB Family, Renault, McLaren, Ferrari and now Williams. The last 3 seats he's had is what I would call "Old Guards" who have such deep history in the sport and have continued to be in the sports where others have falled and had to be revivied.
Without knowing what’s around the corner, on the face of it, this looks like a huge step back for young Carlos and one that doesn’t make sense in my view. Audi would have been a better option, unless he didn’t fancy going up against the Hulk - unlikely, right.
Anyway, good luck to him, but it does show how f
ked up F1 is when a driver that has fared well at Ferrari, Toro Rosso and McLaren can only get in a team right at the back of the grid.
Anyway, good luck to him, but it does show how f
ked up F1 is when a driver that has fared well at Ferrari, Toro Rosso and McLaren can only get in a team right at the back of the grid. maz8062 said:
Without knowing what’s around the corner, on the face of it, this looks like a huge step back for young Carlos and one that doesn’t make sense in my view. Audi would have been a better option, unless he didn’t fancy going up against the Hulk - unlikely, right.
Anyway, good luck to him, but it does show how fked up F1 is when a driver that has fared well at Ferrari, Toro Rosso and McLaren can only get in a team right at the back of the grid.
We know what Williams are today but with proper finance in place, modernisation of their operation on going plus experienced engineers hired can you presume nothing will change? Anyway, good luck to him, but it does show how f
ked up F1 is when a driver that has fared well at Ferrari, Toro Rosso and McLaren can only get in a team right at the back of the grid. Audi, they have been massively successful in other forms of motorsport but that doesn’t guarantee success in F1 from the off. Just look at Toyota, loads of success until they turned to F1 and look how that turned out, and… that was in the days when if a team got it wrong, if they had money they could just spend there way out of trouble. Toyota spent big money and no success. With the cost cap, getting up to speed with what F1, power unit, design, testing, race weekends…. It’ll be a big learning curve for Audi. And if they get it wrong, that could be baked in for a season.
As it stands, Williams are way ahead of Audi as an F1 operation.
Interesting that Vowles says he was already chasing Sainz for Williams months before anyone knew he would become available due to the Hamilton move.
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/williams-made-f...
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/williams-made-f...
The headline of 'Sainz to Williams' has made many think he'll help them go faster. I don't have any high-up inside knowledge, but what if Alex is consistently faster than Carlos next year? Will the top teams be kicking themselves for not signing him?
Newey will probably go to Ferrari or Williams. If he chooses the easier commute, Williams may well get the leg-up they've needed for the past 10 years. Frank & Patrick should have offered him shares in the team (as.he wanted) when he was there last time - who knows how much of a difference he'd have made over the past 3 decades?
Newey will probably go to Ferrari or Williams. If he chooses the easier commute, Williams may well get the leg-up they've needed for the past 10 years. Frank & Patrick should have offered him shares in the team (as.he wanted) when he was there last time - who knows how much of a difference he'd have made over the past 3 decades?
I hope those with positive views on Williams future turn out to be correct. I'm of the impression Carlos is a decent chap and a better overall racing driver than the one Ferrari chose to keep.
Based on the time it took Carlos to settle and be fast in qualifying at Ferrari, I wonder if Alex might be faster at least in the first part of next season.
Based on the time it took Carlos to settle and be fast in qualifying at Ferrari, I wonder if Alex might be faster at least in the first part of next season.
Europa Jon said:
The headline of 'Sainz to Williams' has made many think he'll help them go faster. I don't have any high-up inside knowledge, but what if Alex is consistently faster than Carlos next year? Will the top teams be kicking themselves for not signing him?
Newey will probably go to Ferrari or Williams. If he chooses the easier commute, Williams may well get the leg-up they've needed for the past 10 years. Frank & Patrick should have offered him shares in the team (as.he wanted) when he was there last time - who knows how much of a difference he'd have made over the past 3 decades?
With only the tiniest bit of extra success, which Newey probably could have influenced, Williams could have crawled on for another couple of years and reached the cost caps - at which point things would rapidly become far easier for them. The family would still own the team and it would probably be doing 'okay', even with Claire running it.Newey will probably go to Ferrari or Williams. If he chooses the easier commute, Williams may well get the leg-up they've needed for the past 10 years. Frank & Patrick should have offered him shares in the team (as.he wanted) when he was there last time - who knows how much of a difference he'd have made over the past 3 decades?
But probably not as well as they're doing now, so I guess everything worked out well, in a way. Although personally I don't have the same feelings for the team that I did way back in the day, knowing that one bloke pulled it all together and conquered the sport.
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