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Carlos Sainz will also race for Williams in the coming years. At first glance, that may seem surprising after a period full of frustrations for the Spaniard over the lack of success with the team. Yet there are plenty of reasons why staying was the most logical choice for Sainz at this moment. Grand Prix winner Sainz has never hidden his desire to return to the front of Formula 1. That is precisely why his future at Williams became a topic of discussion in recent months. The FW48 does not meet expectations, and after eleven Grands Prix Williams sits only ninth in the constructors’ standings, whereas the hope had been to challenge the top teams. For a driver who was still winning races with Ferrari at the end of 2024, running at the back is hardly satisfying. That made the idea of leaving understandable. The key question then becomes: where would he go? Few better alternatives for Sainz None of the top teams are waiting for Sainz anymore, so the Spaniard’s gaze would have to turn to ambitious midfield outfits. Audi would be the obvious choice, but that team has Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg under contract. Moreover, the German squad won’t have forgotten that Sainz bluntly rejected them two years earlier. Aston Martin would certainly have been an option if Fernando Alonso were to leave. But Sainz’s new contract is also a signal that the two-time champion will remain with the green team. Alpine is continuing with Carlos Sainz and can make good use of the millions in sponsorship money from Franco Colapinto. That essentially leaves Williams. At that team, Sainz knows exactly what he has: he knows the people, the way of working, and the organization’s weak spots. In addition, the four-time Grand Prix winner has now invested a year and a half in team principal James Vowles’ project. Leaving would mean starting over at another team with no guarantee that squad will progress faster. On top of that, Williams does not see the underwhelming FW48 as an endpoint. The team is already working on the 2027 car after the current machine failed to deliver what had been hoped for in advance. An important step for Williams For Williams, keeping Sainz is very important. His experience at McLaren and Ferrari is of great value to an organization that is still being rebuilt. Williams needs him not only to score points, but also to guide the development of the car and the team. With Alexander Albon, Williams has also opted for continuity. The Thai driver has extended his contract through 2027. Retaining Sainz means Williams can field an experienced and well-drilled driver pairing again next season while the technical organization continues to be restructured. Sainz was, in any case, the man who delivered podiums for Williams in 2025, so the speed is still there.