Sainz to Williams?

I think Carlos signing with Williams means Mercedes has decided to go with Kimi. Unless the rumors that Bottas is going back to Mercedes is true, but I don't see why they would do that.

If Mercedes or Red Bull wanted Sainz, they easily could have got him by now.

 

I think Sainz would have been in better shape with Hulkenberg at Audi. And he should have made that deal long ago. Nothing has changed at Williams to indicate they will do any better next year, or in 2026. They are a team with an historical name...but that is it. They just fill space on the grid.

 

I think several changes of management in quick succession at Audi have not reassured Sainz to sign for them.
There is nothing worse than conducting negociations with someone, and then find he has been replaced when you join.
Audi may as well appear too "corporate" with interference from Ingolstadt. Not a good sign for a F1 team.

 

Absolutely
And replacing Seidl with Binotto was a very bad sign sent to Sainz during negotiations.
He already knows Binotto is incompetent as team director.

 

I still believe Max at Mercedes 2025 could happen.
Interesting times ahead isn’t it ?

 

Definitely interesting. When Lewis made his Ferrari announcement early this year, I expected things to go much differently by now.

 

Both Toto and Marko are playing hardball. They have two of the most sought after seats in F1, as Sainz's options dwindle so do his demands. My gut reaction is that Toto will place Antonelli at Williams and Carlos will go to Mercedes. Marko would like to have him but apparently Carlos wants a salary comparable to what was offered by Audi.

 

I would love to know the behind the scenes discussions and political tactics used.

If Carlos was holding out for money, he's gotta be out of his mind. He isn't hurting financially, and surely every F1 driver knows that if you want to win races and championships, you need to be in the best car possible. If RBR or Mercedes was on the table, I would drive for them for $2m a year vs $20m a year at Williams if I already made $50m in my career. Plus it would be easy to negotiate a performance based contract.

If Mercedes plans to put Kimi in the seat, I think that's a poor move. So far he isn't proving to be some phenom in F2, so there is nothing to lose if you give him a year at Williams first.

The obvious choices to me are being overlooked so there has to be some weird stuff going on behind closed doors.

 

Would you believe that I agree with you on that ?

I see Mercedes as the only team where Max could go if he decides to leave Red Bull.

 

Christmas Time !

 

Agree. Optionality rules. Not as good as a five year deal somewhere but he knows more than we do so this isn’t bad at all. His dad is nobody’s fool and I’m sure giving him some thoughtful assistance.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat

 

I think the deal is done. Carlos to Williams. Red Bull and Max are still faster than Mercedes and George or Lewis. Next year will be a semi lost year for all the teams as the big effort is 2026. If Max went to Mercedes for 2025, he'd have no more guarantee of a Championship and the best car than Lewis has had for the last four years.

 

I think that the deal was conceived by Toto. If Antonelli is the Second Coming and is ready to jump into the deep end, they park Sainz at Williams. If Antonelli isn't ready they let him polish his craft at Williams and put the best available veteran driver at Mercedes. Masterful.

 

is there wiggle room in the Ferrari contract where hammy can stay at merc if he wants too. The disappointment on hammy face at the bel gp merc 1-2 on two different strategies just shows merc dominance resurgent. Does hammy think he made a mistake despite gr dq?

 

I was just thinking…,,I wonder if both Hamilton and Ferrari might have buyer’s/seller’s remorse? Surely MBz is leagues ahead of where they were just months ago, and still improving, and have leap-frogged Ferrari, who, in the meantime, have lost a driver who, in my opinion, is still on the rise.

Speaking of Sainz, the move to Williams seems Ricciardoesque, careerwise.

 

Sainz´s career has more lives than a cat. Hope he´ll be back.

 

As I've said- Getting rid of Sainz for Hamilton is just plain stupid- stability and growth wins championships- disruption loses them-

 

+1 Agree

Ricciardo wasn't forced out at RBR. He didn't want to be Max's handmaiden and chose to leave.

(sir) Hamilton to Ferrari isn't about winning championships, it's about money(for all concerned).

 

Right, but I was thinking more of Sainz’s choosing Williams compared with Ricci Dani’s other moves ….although obviously I have no knowledge of his motivation for doing so other than possibly being put off by Audi’s apparent dithering and Binotto coming in. It’s also possible that he has been too hard-to-get for other teams and was left with no choice but Williams.

 

Agree, Sainz had very few options. I think that this might work out well for him?

 

Do you think Newey might go there? They are better positioned to give him significant equity than most other teams, and it looks like AM has already chosen its design office for the future.

 

I think there is a very good chance that he might join Williams. He can stay in England, start with a clean sheet of paper and possibly get equity in the company.

 

My thoughts also; maybe Carlos Jr knows things that we don't. I understand that Newey has to remain silent, according to his [former] contract with R.B until September. Jeremy Clarkson, who was a classmate of Newey 50 years ago, claims that Newey is indeed going to Williams, but I don't trust Clarkson that much...
We'll know in about six weeks...
I would be personnally delighted at the prospect of Carlos Sainz Jr + Newey at Williams; I'm a traditionnalist, and what Williams has achieved is dear to me. If the name could be revieved, I would be more than happy.

Rgds

 

He always had a feeling of "unfinished business" at Williams: he wasn't entirely free as long as Patrick Head was there.

Rgds

 

Ferrari was foolish. They had 2 great drivers. Very seldom did you see them both **** the bed. One or the other always got the best result that was possible that weekend. Two different styles. Carlos drives with his brain and Chuck with his heart. Chuck will always be faster over a lap and Carlos will think the race like a chess game.