Carlos Sainz is still unclear about his future, which does not please Williams, who already counted on the signature of the Spanish racer.
Tags: Carlos Sainz Williams Published 07/01/2024 — Dominik Kovář
You walk around with a water jug for so long that your ear is torn off. Can Carlos Sainz take over for so long that teams start closing doors in his face?
Carlos Sainz doesn’t have it easy. He has to move from a team that is an aspirant for podiums, victories and titles to a team that is far from this performance. Of course, that could change with the rule change in 2026. Guessing which of the midfield teams has the best chance of jumping to the top is, however, like trying to hit the numbers in sports.
According to our exclusive source, Sainz has basically already made up his mind. During the race in Spain, he was supposed to announce the signing of a two-year contract with Williams. The papers and Williams were ready, but Sainz threw an imaginary pitchfork at the last minute to sign the contract..
New team in game
It’s no secret that Sainz chooses between Sauber/Audi and Williams. Recent weeks have been pointing towards Sainz choosing a team from Grove, adding to Audi’s long-term pursuit of Sainz. Now a third team entered the game. Alpine rushed in with an offer for Sainz, whose resurrection after a tragic start to the season probably caught Sainz’s interest.
In addition, Alpine is being speculated about the possibility of becoming a customer team, which is rather positive news given the poor performance of the Renault engines. Alpine’s new adviser Flavio Briatore is definitely playing his role as well, and he has a clear goal – to return the Enstone stable to the top with his steps and experience.
Williams is angry
There is understandably displeasure at Williams. If you have a rider before signing and he backs out at the last minute, it’s never pleasant. At the same time, Williams may have lost a bit of faith in Sainz. Is he really capable of fully committing himself to a project that will not be victorious overnight?
The British team wants an experienced pilot to join Albon. Previously there was talk of hiring Antonelli or Lawson, but due to the changes to the new rules and the ambitions of Williams, a driver with enough experience is more needed. Should Sainz fail, Bottas or Ocon remain in the game.
Sainz still holds the best cards in his hands. It is still the number one choice for Alpine, Sauber/Audi and Williams. But if he delays his decision longer than necessary, one of the teams may take matters into their own hands and sign another free agent on the market.
Ocon and Bottas are lying
The expressions of the individual pilots on the weekend in Austria were interesting. “There are many options, but I won’t tell you what the priority is,” Ocon replied when asked if a move to Haas was a matter of time. Bottas is determined to change, he is just waiting to hear from the unnamed team. “I had hoped to make a decision at the beginning of this week, but the deadline has been pushed back again. I have my priority which I can’t tell you. But it’s pretty clear to me what I want.”
