Carlos Sainz renewed with Williams on a ‘multi-year’ contract in Formula 1, and even with rumors circulating about a possible departure, he revealed that he never truly considered leaving the British team.
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The year 2026 has been quite challenging for the Grove-based team. After a positive 2025 where they finished fifth in the Constructors’ Championship, the regulation change brought an extra challenge for the team, which slipped to the bottom of the points table and is only in ninth position after 12 rounds.
However, despite the difficulties, Williams announced the renewal of its two drivers, both Alexander Albon, only for 2027, and Sainz, multi-year. And even with rumors of a possible departure, the Spaniard emphasized that the plan was never to leave the team.
“No, it was just the usual rumors in the paddock. I can confirm that, this year, I never seriously considered the possibility of going elsewhere,” he told Motorsport.com.
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“The normal process is that, before signing a contract, you always evaluate the situation as a whole. But when we put everything on the table, another aspect arose that is very important to me: I have never liked to leave a team when it is going through a difficult period.”
“It is not in my character to go elsewhere if the situation has worsened since I joined the team. When I committed to the Williams project, I knew there could be difficult moments and, although what we are going through now is particularly tough, I am ready to accept it,” he continued.
“No one on the team is satisfied with the current situation, and we are all working hard to change it as soon as possible. But, as I said, it is not in my nature to abandon ship when things get tough,” he concluded.
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