Carlos Sainz has reaffirmed his commitment to Williams in Formula 1, dismissing rumours linking him to a potential Red Bull seat if Max Verstappen moves to Mercedes.
Reflecting on his first year with the team so far, the Spaniard expressed confidence in Williams’ progress and its performance trajectory for the 2025 season.
Last time out in Austria, it was a double disappointment for the Grove-based squad.
Sainz struggled to start the race after his FW47 got stuck in first gear, and after returning to the pits for lights out, his brakes caught fire, ending his race prematurely.
His team-mate Alex Albon inherited sixth after the Lap 1 chaos but later retired with a technical issue himself.
Williams still holds fifth in the Constructors’ Championship, maintaining a solid buffer over the midfield.
However, Albon has outscored Sainz 42 points to 13 in 2025, with the 30-year-old struggling to adapt and trailing in the Drivers’ standings.
Despite this, Sainz has been linked with a potential Red Bull switch — the team that rejected him last season after Ferrari replaced him with Lewis Hamilton.
Amid speculation of a Red Bull seat opening if Verstappen moves to Mercedes, the four-time Grand Prix winner remains clear about his commitment to Williams.
“I think, first of all, [the] things you’re commenting on, [at] the moment, it looks like it’s rumours,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
“I don’t know how much of a truth is going on that end of things.
“Williams knows that it has my commitment and for the next two years and beyond, if the situation allows.
“I believe the trajectory we’re on, and yeah, I am very confident with the choice I made.”
Sainz confident in Williams’ progress despite ongoing challenges
Whilst a return to his former junior team could be on the cards, Sainz remains focused on Williams this season.
Having joined the British squad this year, he reflected on the team’s progress so far and how the 2025 car has exceeded his expectations.
“Yeah, I think for me the number one thing has always been performance and the performance is there,” he explained.
“I see good things coming and this year’s car performance, if anything, has exceeded my expectations of what I thought Williams could deliver for 2025.
“I insist [that] if we would be putting things together now, I think we could be, both drivers, P8, P9 or P7, P8 in the Drivers’ Championship and pulling away.
“But we are not ready yet to execute weekends in that manner. I’m not worried because I know every member of the team knows this and we are all working on putting things together.
“Even if now at the present time everything looks extremely frustrating and difficult to handle, it’s been 12 races where obviously there’s been a lot of ups and downs.
“But I’m confident on the trajectory we’re on and where we’re heading.”
READ MORE – Carlos Sainz reveals extent of damage that triggered Q1 exit in Austria
