Carlos Sainz moving to Williams “was the best solution for him“ according to Red Bull employee

Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko suggests Carlos Sainz moving to Williams was the most suitable decision. The Austrian veteran said the Spaniard also has an exit clause in his contract with the Grove-based team if he finds a better option.

After contemplating options such as Audi and Alpine, Sainz eventually opted to go to the Williams F1 team for the 2025 season onwards. Although he has signed a two-year contract, the Spanish driver has a clause that allows him to move to a more competitive team, if the option is available. The 29-year-old was rejected by Mercedes and Red Bull as a potential candidate for the 2025 season.

Despite suggestions by Carlos Sainz that he would take the summer break period to make a decision, he was announced as a Williams driver after the Belgium GP. With a lack of top teams available as options, the three-time Grand Prix winner had to resort to mid-field options. Marko believes that is the most viable option for the Ferrari driver, given that Williams will be powered by Mercedes engines for 2026.

Writing in his column on Speed Week, Dr. Marko said:

“The fact that Carlos Sainz decided to go to Williams is understandable, because what would the alternatives be? Audi will certainly not be one next year if you look at the successes. And at Alpine, you don't know whether they will get the Mercedes engine as early as 2025 or only in 2026. I would say that this was still the best solution for him in his situation.

“Of course, it is already tragic that he drives his best season at Ferrari and does not get a cockpit in a top team. But something would have to go ahead with Williams, he also has a strong engine there. And allegedly he has a clause in the contract that allows the exit if an offer comes from a much better placed team.”

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Charles Leclerc opens up on friction with Carlos Sainz at Ferrari

Charles Leclerc reckons there has not been any tension between Carlos Sainz and himself, as heard on the radio broadcast. The Monegasque driver reckoned the Spanish driver had differences with him on the track but the disagreements have always been discussed behind the scenes.

Speaking to onsite media in Belgium about the differences with Sainz, Leclerc said:

“It’s normal that sometimes there is friction. Carlos and I don’t always agree on what happens on the track and managing adrenaline is not easy, but the important thing is to be able to discuss it when the race is over. Over the radio it seems like there is always tension, but it’s not like that.”

Carlos Sainz is currently fifth in the drivers standings having earned a total of 162 points. He is 15 points behind his teammate Leclerc, who has a total of 177 points and is third in the driver’s standings. Ferrari is currently third with a total of 345 points and is 21 points behind McLaren. Both drivers have had a win each but their car performance has stagnated after the Monaco GP. They still lack two to three-tenths of a second worth of a lap time to McLaren, who have the most competitive car on the grid.