F1, Carlos Sainz has chosen: no Audi, stays on the grid in 2025

Carlos Sainz chose Williams

The long courtship towards Carlos Sainz by Williams has borne fruit: the Spaniard, in fact, has chosen to embrace the British team’s project, and will get behind the wheel of one of the two cars of the team led from the wall by James Vowles from the 2025 season. The announcement è was released Monday by the official Formula 1 channels.

Sainz thus pushes away permanently the rumors that wanted him involved in the Audi project, a hypothesis that had regained strength after the German automaker announced the hiring of Mattia Binotto (who had wanted Sainz in Ferrari for the post-Vettel era), who from August 1 will be at the head of the sports project that will replace the Sauber brand from 2026.

The starting grid for next season is therefore being outlined, with the various formalizations taking place over the weeks: Sainz goes to occupy the seat that will be vacated at the end of the season by Logan Sargeant, and will have as his teammate Alexander Albon, whose contract with Williams will expire at the end of 2026.

Another stable to which Sainz’s name had been approached è Mercedes, although Toto Wolff had repeatedly denied contact with the Spanish driver. For the Anglo-German stable, the search for a driver to flank George Russell continues, given the departure of Lewis Hamilton in the direction of Ferrari: Kimi Antonelli è among the favourites, but the dream è Max Verstappen.