317 replies to this topic

[MortenF1]

Williams got Sainz! 👍

[d246]

Williams got Sainz!

Two year deal? Didn't really see that coming.

[Muppetmad]

Good for Williams. I don't know how it'll pan out for Sainz, but he's an excellent driver, and I wish him the best with it.

[Sabre1977]

https://x.com/Carlos...932097803219181

[CaptHaddock91]

Albon - Sainz is a very strong line up. By far the best for Williams since 2016. 

 

Now it's on the team to finally deliver a competitive car.

[WilliamsF1Fan]

I never believed it would happen.  Awesome signing for the team.

[TheFish]

Great signing for Williams, I guess that confirms Max at Red Bull then…

[eibyyz]

So, it's Sargeant to Merc, right? /s

[Jellyfishcake]

Wow, Williams really hit the jackpot 

[Sabre1977]

So, it's Sargeant to Merc, right? /s

 

Max to Merc, Logan to Red bull

[andysaint]

Red Bull really needed Sainz for 2025. I don’t really think they should have gone with him and Ricciardo for the remainder 2024. Awesome for Williams though

[Dara]

Max to Merc, Logan to Red bull

To replace Newey or Horner right ?

[Calum]

It’s a second “serious signing” for Williams.

Sarge and Latifi weren’t it. This is an important step on the journey up for Williams.

[Anja]

So Sainz will become the third person to drive for the legendary Ferrari-McLaren-Williams trio? Or am I missing someone?

 

(not that it's as relevant as it used to be, but still...)

Edited by Anja, 29 July 2024 - 14:54.

[Sabre1977]

If Max abandon Red Bull for Merc, the Milton Keynes could have his worst driver pairing since Coulthard &Klien.

[PayasYouRace]

So Sainz will become the third person to drive for the legendary Ferrari-McLaren-Williams trio? Or am I missing someone?

(not that it's as relevant as it used to be, but still...)

They’re still the three most successful teams, aren’t they?

[Nathan]

Only 1 takes a pay driver so I think it has merit and suggests quality  in a driver.

[Sabre1977]

So Sainz will become the third person to drive for the legendary Ferrari-McLaren-Williams trio? Or am I missing someone?

 

(not that it's as relevant as it used to be, but still...)

 

 

And the second to the Ferrari-McLaren-Williams-Renault combo.   The other one Prost.

[Chunkinator]

They’re still the three most successful teams, aren’t they?

Unsure of criteria here, but think Merc and Red Bull have now snuck in ahead of Williams in terms of wins

[JHSingo]

Not exactly a ringing endorsement for Alpine or Audi that a race winner in Sainz would rather go to a team that's not won anything in over a decade than an OEM team. 

 

I hope for his sake they make more progress into next year than they have in this. 

[MaxisOne]

Happy for Sainz and Williams. Hopefully the signing brings a bit more urgency to the need to back up the signing with more resources to put into  a decent car and change the mindset of the team to aspire for more. Even if the signing is short term the optics of getting Sainz to sign for Williams gives off the impression that Williams is no longer happy with being consistently in the bottom half of the grid.

[PayasYouRace]

Unsure of criteria here, but think Merc and Red Bull have now snuck in ahead of Williams in terms of wins

Constructors’ Championships is my first port of call for success.

[Afterburner]

I split this out since I think it's a fairly major piece of news for the driver market.
 
RACER's take

[Dan333SP]

Sargeant - > Sainz has to be one of the biggest upgrades for a single seat within a team that I can remember. 

[PayasYouRace]

Sainz is the first multiple Grand Prix winner that Williams have hired since Felipe Massa. The first winner since Kubica too but post-accident Kubica wasn’t exactly a stellar signing.

I’m pleased for the team that they’ve now got a really strong and serious lineup.

[PayasYouRace]

And the second to the Ferrari-McLaren-Williams-Renault combo. The other one Prost.

And the first to drive for all the 90s Big Four of Williams, McLaren, Ferrari and “Enstone”.

[SophieB]

I’m glad that James impassioned pursuit of Carlos Sainz has paid off! Hope it works out well for Carlos and the team.

[Lennat]

It will be fun to see how good Albon really is.

Except for that I'm not completely sold on his choice.

[aportinga]

Great signing for Williams, I guess that confirms Max at Red Bull then…

 

Yeah I was really hoping to see Sainz at RB and Max move to Merc. 

 

I guess the worst bit is that this may keep Perez at RB.

[Anderis]

I'm so happy that Williams will finally have two proper drivers! I was starting to lose hope once the reports of Sainz to Alpine intsensified...

 

I think Williams may have the strongest driver line up out of any team outside Red Bull, Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren in 2025. It will be so refreshing to see them having a driver pairing that's an asset rather than a liability in the fight with other teams around them, probably for the first time since 2010 (their 2014-2016 line-up was good but because the car was good too, they were fighting teams with even better drivers at the time).

[ANF]

Good for Williams! And for me – I'd rather watch Sainz at Williams than at Audi or Alpine.

[Francesc]

I wasn't too sold on him joining Williams only for a season but signing for two years shows he's very committed to the project.

Vowles is really transforming the team. Impressive job.

Hopefully all the new procedures will be fully integrated as they can't afford to have either Albon or Sainz driving one car spec behind the other.

Edited by Francesc, 29 July 2024 - 15:44.

[messy]

Great for Williams, really up to them to give him a car worthy of his ability now. He’s maybe not elite ++ tier but he’s as good as it gets for a midfield team as McLaren discovered. Against Albon, it’ll be interesting, but I kinda think Sainz will be better quite quickly. I hope that doesn’t mean he’s qualifying 14th and finishing 13th every weekend though, that would be depressing. Williams need to step up to go with him.

[Alfisti]

This tells me Max is staying at RBR for 2025, somewhat of a surprise. 

[vlado]

This tells me Max is staying at RBR for 2025, somewhat of a surprise.

There is no reason not to stay at RB for 2025, evaluate 2026 and then decide if he needs to make a move.

[Risil]

Hey, that's a coup from Vowles and Williams

[eibyyz]

Great for Williams, really up to them to give him a car worthy of his ability now. He’s maybe not elite ++ tier but he’s as good as it gets for a midfield team as McLaren discovered. Against Albon, it’ll be interesting, but I kinda think Sainz will be better quite quickly. I hope that doesn’t mean he’s qualifying 14th and finishing 13th every weekend though, that would be depressing. Williams need to step up to go with him.

 

Either Williams pull their head out in a big way, or SAI frowns all the way to the bank, sorta like how Bottas has spent the past 2.5 years.

[vlado]

It will be fun to see how good Albon really is.

HUL at Audi would’ve been a far more entertaining match up .. in fact, Albon is probably the easiest option as far as available team mates go because Russel would’ve been very difficult, and he is certainly not a match for Verstappen, so if he wants that number 1 status Williams was the only option.

Edited by vlado, 29 July 2024 - 15:51.

[NewMrMe]

So Sainz will become the third person to drive for the legendary Ferrari-McLaren-Williams trio? Or am I missing someone?

 

(not that it's as relevant as it used to be, but still...)

 

 

And the second to the Ferrari-McLaren-Williams-Renault combo.   The other one Prost.

 

Also I believe the first to drive for Ferrari, McLaren WIlliams and an incarnation of team Enstone.

[TomNokoe]

First time he drives a Mercedes engine, no?

[messy]

Either Williams pull their head out in a big way, or SAI frowns all the way to the bank, sorta like how Bottas has spent the past 2.5 years.

I find it so depressing watching a Bottas or a Raikkonen driving round to ever diminishing returns in rubbish cars. It seems like it’s so hard, once a 30+ driver ends up saddled with a bad car at the back, for them to actually recover up the grid. I hope Sainz bucks that trend because I really don’t want this to be the beginning of the end for him. Everyone talks about Vowles and all the good stuff he’s doing at Williams but it strikes me the one thing that isn’t following at the moment is a more competitive car, that’s my one concern about this move.

[Risil]

"Sainz signs"

[vlado]

First time he drives a Mercedes engine, no?

Yes.

[Afterburner]

"Sainz signs"

You’re welcome.

[vlado]

Are Hamilton and Sainz equally likely to win a title next year, with their chances being roughly the same as a snowman's in a hot tub?

[Beri]

Albon - Sainz is a very strong line up. By far the best for Williams since 2016. 
 
Now it's on the team to finally deliver a competitive car.

I dare to even go as far as it being the strongest lineup in 20 years.

[chrcol]

Wasnt expecting it, but I hope it works out well for Sainz and looks like now no pay drivers for Williams.

[TomNokoe]

Yes.

Funny to think he's only ever driven Renault or Ferrari engines considering his career path. Left Toro Rosso just before Honda, McLaren before Mercedes.

[AlexPrime]

F1 can be very cruel sometimes 

[Risil]

Are Hamilton and Sainz equally likely to win a title next year, with their chances being roughly the same as a snowman's in a hot tub?

No