Williams surprised by Carlos Sainz approach from Mercedes and Red Bull after signing

Williams chief James Vowles has declared himself shocked that none of the top teams seriously considered Carlos Sainz as a candidate for their 2025 seats.

The Spaniard became available before the current campaign even began when Lewis Hamilton announced that he was heading to Ferrari. As Charles Leclerc had already signed a new deal, it meant Sainz was in need of a new home for next term.

Mercedes were left with an unexpected vacancy to fill with Hamilton leaving, while Red Bull also had a decision to make with Sergio Perez’s contract ending. But after months of deliberation, Sainz has elected to sign with Williams.

He had serious offers from Audi, who will officially enter F1 in 2026, and Alpine on the table. But while the 29-year-old had waited to see if one of the top teams would enter negotiations, it never happened.

And Vowles is as surprised as anyone that the most high-profile free agent on the market was considered neither by Mercedes nor Red Bull. Asked if that was the case, he replied: “Yes, is the short answer to it, because I rate him as one of the top four drivers, if not, at times, the number two driver on the grid. Why wouldn’t you want that in your stable?”

But those two top teams which had vacancies never acted on any interest they might have held. Mercedes still have fanciful dreams of convincing Max Verstappen to quit Red Bull but that almost certainly won’t happen for 2025, and instead they look increasingly likely to promote highly-rated teenager Andrea Kimi Antonelli.

Red Bull, meanwhile, handed Perez a new contract – though his place is under threat again after a wretched run of form. Team principal Christian Horner told staff at the team’s Milton Keynes factory this week that the Mexican will still be in the car after the summer break, but it remains to be seen if he will survive until the end of the seaso