Carlos Sainz indicated that he should make a decision about his future at Williams in the coming days. The Spaniard has not yet confirmed his stay with the team, while his name is once again appearing in the Formula 1 driver market.
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In a statement published by Crash.net, Sainz explained that he intended to use the August break period to discuss his future with the team and with James Vowles: “I was hoping that during the break we would start making a decision and see a little more of the situation, but I don’t know the exact timing,” he said.
The uncertainty comes amid a season below expectations for Williams. Sainz joined the team at the beginning of 2025 with the prospect of competing for wins in the new era of the category and achieved podiums in Azerbaijan and Qatar that year, but in 2026 his best result so far has been ninth place, achieved three times, in China, Miami, and Canada.
The Spanish driver acknowledged that his plans had to be revised in light of the difficulties: “There is no secret that my expectations, or rather, my timeline to win a race again and for Williams to be the place where that would happen, have been postponed by one or two years,” he said.
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Despite the frustration, Sainz highlighted that he still sees reasons to believe in the project: “I still see the team’s goals quite clearly. I see how much is happening behind the scenes when we put aside the current car’s performance, and that still gives me confidence and motivation that we are heading in the right direction,” he added.
The Spaniard, however, admitted that he will need to change his perspective before defining the next steps: “Clearly, my deadlines have changed. I need to readjust my thinking to see myself now three or four years from now and make a decision, but I am still confident in the path and the project we are on,” he concluded.
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