It’s unusual for team principals to greet the news of their driver’s next career move with an endorsement, but Frederic Vasseur did just that when Williams announced Carlos Sainz Jnr will join them next year.
“I am pleased that Carlos will be joining Williams Racing from next season,” Vasseur said in a statement released by Ferrari. “It’s a team with a great history and legacy, founded by an enlightened man with an ambitious vision, so I know Carlos will feel at home there.”
He added his praise for Williams team principal James Vowles, who is only in his second year in charge. “I have great respect for James and I am sure Carlos will make a valuable contribution to his team,” Vasseur added.
No doubt Vasseur made these remarks partly out of genuine pleasure to see his departing driver choose a team he thinks highly of. After all, it’s doubtful Vasseur would have let Sainz go for many drivers other than Lewis Hamilton, but the opportunity to sign a seven-times world champion doesn’t come along that often.
But would Vasseur have said the same of any of the alternatives Sainz was believed to be considering? After all, two of those are among those he has previously run.
Of those, it was perhaps most surprising to see Sainz spurn Sauber, which has attracted the might of Audi and will become its works team in 2026. Less surprisingly he also thought better of joining Alpine, which is preparing to appoint its fifth team principal since ending Vasseur’s brief tenure in charge just seven years ago.
After the blow of learning he would lose his Ferrari drive at the end of the year, Sainz admitted it had been flattering to be courted by multiple teams for his services.
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“It feels a privilege to be so well-regarded by these teams and have such positive feedback from them,” he said. “I feel almost honoured to have this positive will from these teams and I can only thank them for their patience and their willingness to sign me.”
They undoubtedly were patient, as Sainz has taken almost exactly six months since Hamilton’s move was announced to confirm his plans. This aggravated his rivals who are also looking for drives next year, who knew they could not firm up their plans until the three-times race winner had taken his place.
“It’s difficult to understand just because it’s not that difficult to make his decision,” Zhou Guanyu…
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