Vowles details an eight-month pursuit of Sainz, beginning in Abu Dhabi 2023.
James Vowles, the Team Principal at Williams F1, fought fiercely but succeeded in his gamble: securing top driver Carlos Sainz for his team, which sets the stage for a formidable pairing with Alex Albon from 2025.
Vowles reflected on the lengthy negotiation period in an interview with the official F1 website.
Having renewed Albon’s contract, Vowles quickly pinpointed Sainz as a potential cornerstone for his vision. Despite having no prior interactions with the Sainz family, he arranged an initial meeting at last year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“The first time I spent time with his family was in Abu Dhabi. We had to bring them in through the back so they could come up to my office for a chat without being seen. It was the first time I was speaking to all of them, and the first time I met them.”
“We connected over shared family values—honesty, performance on track without politics, and striving to do the best with what you have. There was a strong resonance between us.”
“That was Abu Dhabi 2023, so no one knew what was going to happen with Carlos. What I do is make sure they know we are serious about moving forward, and here we are—they’re getting to know me. Then the news about Lewis came as a surprise to me, and to Carlos as well. That’s when I started the normal negotiation process.”
“Throughout this project—and it’s worth checking with Carlos, he’ll tell you the same—everything I’ve told him about this project has been the truth, including the good and the bad. It has been consistent from the start.”
“This is who we are, this is what we’re investing in, this is why I believe in it, this is what the future looks like—do you want to be part of it?”
“I believe in this project; I left the comfort of Mercedes to be here for good reason. We have a history that makes us the second most successful team on the grid, we have real, serious investors backing this project, we want to succeed and this is what success looks like. Fundamentally, not many on the grid can say the same at the same level and with the same clarity. And I think if that’s not taken as a sign that Williams has changed, nothing will.”
Why was Vowles so keen on Sainz?
“I needed a leader, not just someone who is fast in the car. I wanted everything around them to be perfect to create performance. Carlos has that. If you look at all the teams he has been with, look at where they started and where they finished. You’ll see he’s used to ending up in a much better position within the team than when he started.”
Vowles has been very public about his intention to sign Sainz.
“I didn’t want ‘no’ for an answer! I’ve had more late nights in a hotel room than I care to think about! There were many long nights, a lot of phone calls, and he had the space to think it over before making a move.”
“I’ve been very open publicly that I wanted him on the team. You can look like a hero or a zero—I knew that from the start, but I wanted him to know how integral he is to what I believe the future of Williams looks like.”
“The way to do it is to speak openly and show it to the world. One can get hurt or feel strong emotions from a connection. I’d rather he and the world know he’s an incredible athlete—and that I knew we would work well together.”
“If it had gone the other way, I’d still have no regrets. You have to do what it takes to get the right people in the organization. It’s hard to know the other side of the story if it hadn’t happened—but all the work was worth it.”
Vowles was patient and gave Sainz time to decide. Ultimately, this approach paid off.
“I told him this was probably the longest contract in terms of negotiation duration, by far. And to be clear, Lewis’s contracts are tough to negotiate!”
One aspect that was non-negotiable was the length of the contract. Vowles was not interested in a mere one-year deal and having Sainz as a stopgap while the Spaniard looked for a better position for 2026. He sought a commitment to the project.
“There have been times over the past few months when I’ve said, ‘If you’re coming for the money or the short term, it won’t work for either of us.’ It’s a real journey. It will be challenging, but incredibly rewarding.”
Williams F1 thus outbid proposals from two manufacturers, Audi and Alpine, who both offered lucrative terms to sign Sainz. Alpine even included the promise of a switch to Mercedes power units in 2026.
“Carlos was the first to point out that the competition was incredible. We were up against one of the largest manufacturers in the world [Audi], with whom his father has won. It’s not easy to turn down. You have a team that has won a race more recently than we have. We can’t ignore that. But what he saw with us is not where we are today, but where we are heading.”
Vowles is aware there is still much to do, especially in providing a package worthy of the excellence of Sainz and Albon.
“It’s huge, it’s really important for us to take a step forward. Emotionally, it was all worth it. It’s a fantastic milestone and means a lot to me and to the team.”
“We showed the team a video of Carlos announcing the news and you couldn’t hear a word for at least the first 45 seconds because of the cheers, shouts, and applause. That reaction tells me everything I need to know: they believe in this decision as much as I do.”
“But now, I have to prove to him, to the team, and to the world, that we are on the right track.”
- You may also like>Pirelli Sheds Light on Unexpected One-Stop Strategy
- Following us on>Facebook and>Twitter
Inside Vowles’ Long Negotiations with Sainz in F1 Inside Vowles’ Long Negotiations with Sainz in F1 . f1 2024 Inside Vowles’ Long Negotiations with Sainz in F1
