F1 News: Carlos Sainz Sheds Light on Williams Move After James Vowles Comments

Saajan Jogia | Jul 29, 2024

Nov 15, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Scuderia Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jr. of Spain speaks during media availabilities at Las Vegas Strip Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports / Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, who has been linked with a potential move to Williams after team principal James Vowles expressed optimism about having him on board, responded positively to the team boss's remarks. Sainz acknowledged his admiration for Vowles's work and their good rapport but highlighted the importance of being patient and waiting for the right moment.

The Spaniard has become one of the most sought-after drivers on the market, giving him significant leverage in negotiations. In addition to Williams, Sainz has reportedly been in discussions with Alpine, Sauber/Audi, and even Mercedes. While the Brackley outfit has shown interest in Sainz, it prefers to spend more time choosing between him and junior driver Kimi Antonelli.

Vowles expressed an interest in closing the deal with Sainz before the summer break and emphasized that he wanted 'excellence' within the team. Offering an update on his potential Williams move, Sainz told the media:

“I think Williams have always been in a good place.

“So have the other teams.

“Because, as you guys know, it’s not that I am limited in options. We will see.

“James has been very vocal about wanting me in Williams, and as you guys know I’m a big fan of his and his work ethic and the way he’s pushing that team forward.

“So, it’s not secret that I get on very well with James. Whether he’s being optimistic or not, I keep that to myself.”

Sainz expressed his honor at receiving attention from various teams as he explained the complexities of the driver market. He added:

“It feels, yeah, a privilege to be so well-regarded by these teams.

“To have such positive feedback from them.

“I feel almost honoured to have this positive will from these teams and I can only thank them for their patience and their willingness to sign me.

“But it’s been a very complex driver market, a very complex situation, and that’s why I’ve been having to wait and see how every team’s future was panning out.

“And as you guys see, every week has given me the feeling that I’ve been doing the right thing to wait, because every week you know something different about each team."

Continuing, Sainz elaborated on his willingness to wait despite opposition from certain sections of the media and preferred not to talk about his future move over the summer break. He added:

“So even though I see some fans and some media getting impatient, saying ‘why is he waiting so long’, when you look at the market and when you look at each team, all the changes that have been in every team, it clearly shows that waiting was exactly the right thing to do – because the more I’ve been waiting, the more information I was getting from each team that I have opportunities to go to.

“So I hope that you guys put that in value and appreciate why I’ve been waiting and why it’s been probably the right call to keep it for this long.

“What I look forward is to go to the summer break and not hear this question for three weeks.

“Because I’ve been hearing it every day for the last six months almost, and it gets to a point that if I’m not saying anything, it’s not like I’m going to tell you guys anything about it.

“On the thinking side, I’m pretty calm. I know what I want and why I’m waiting.”