Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team


By Williams F1 Team
August 19 2026

 Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Atlassian Williams F1 Team
 
Sainz extends into 2027
 

• Carlos Sainz has agreed a new multi-year contract with Atlassian Williams F1 Team, confirming his trust in the team’s comeback project
• The 31-year-old Spaniard has delivered standout results since joining Williams in 2025, including two Grand Prix podiums and a Sprint podium
• Announcement completes Williams’ line-up for 50th anniversary year in 2027, after Alex Albon extended his record-breaking journey with the team
• Carlos Sainz: “I'm as committed as I was on day one to helping get Williams back to where it belongs, and I look forward to creating more memories with the team.”

Atlassian Williams F1 Team today announces that Carlos Sainz has agreed a new multi-year contract with the team, in a show of faith in Williams’ long-term project to compete at the front of the F1 grid.

The four-time race-winner joined Williams in 2025 and has played an instrumental role in driving forward the team’s rebuild, combining a detailed engineering approach with raw speed, smooth racecraft and a relentless determination to improve performance in every area.

Today’s announcement completes Williams’ driver line-up for its 50th anniversary year in 2027, after Alex Albon also committed his future to the team yesterday. Together the pair form one of the most formidable and experienced line-ups on the F1 grid, with more than 370 Grand Prix starts, over 1,600 points and 31 podiums between them. Both drivers are united in their commitment to lead Williams back towards the front despite a difficult 2026 – with firm belief in the progress being made behind the scenes to deliver that ambition.

Last year the pair combined to deliver Williams’ best season since 2016, with Carlos delivering some standout results for the team. The highlight was the Spaniard’s maiden Williams podium with a P3 finish in Baku, which he followed with a Sprint podium in Austin and another visit to the rostrum in Qatar. The 31-year-old’s renewed commitment reflects the trust both sides have built as Williams continues investing in all areas needed to challenge in F1 and add to its legacy of nine Constructors’ World Championships and 114 race wins.

And it means Carlos – just one of three drivers alongside Alain Prost and Nigel Mansell to have competed for Williams, McLaren and Ferrari – will help lead Williams as the team joins the other two iconic F1 squads in celebrating 50 years of competing in the sport.

Carlos Sainz: "I’m thrilled to announce my continued journey with the Atlassian Williams F1 Team family! I truly believe in the people that form this team, both at the factory and at the racetracks, and the investments and hard work that are happening in the background. We have what it takes to turn this around together. I’m as committed as I was on day one to helping get Williams back to where it belongs, and I look forward to creating more memories with the team."

James Vowles, Team Principal: "From the moment he joined, Carlos’ talent behind the steering wheel and dedication back at the factory have been extremely valuable for this project - working day in, day out with his engineers to find every millisecond. He is a leader of this team, and I’m thrilled that he can see what’s possible as we continue to rebuild it. It’s not just his racecraft and speed that stand out, but the work he does behind the scenes in the pursuit of high performance. Carlos shares the belief and ambition we have at Atlassian Williams F1 Team and is pushing every day to deliver it. Along with Alex, I truly believe we have one of the strongest line-ups on the grid, and a team capable of fighting for every ounce of performance together."

Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: Williams F1 (IP Logged)
Date: 19/08/2026 14:18

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Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: Anderis (IP Logged)
Date: 19/08/2026 14:31

Hmmm... so rumours were saying one year deal but the announcement is saying a multi-year contract.

I wonder if that means a multi-year deal but some pretty convenient exit clauses for Sainz?

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: Damon96 (IP Logged)
Date: 19/08/2026 14:40

Yes, I’d assume multi year but with performance clauses but I’m happy with that. Team need to deliver a decent car, if it does we have a very good driver and car.

With Alex I assume we now know next year will be his last year with the team as he was only a one year contract.

If we deliver a decent car, unless he has a major turnaround compared to Carlos then I assume we’ll be looking for someone who can match Carlos.

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: Stu69 (IP Logged)
Date: 19/08/2026 14:43

Bless him. It turns out it is all about the money! Stayed for the cash not the car.

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: Qv Corse (IP Logged)
Date: 19/08/2026 15:53

I wonder if Colapinto might be returning in 2028 then if Alex is not offered another deal.

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: j-s (IP Logged)
Date: 19/08/2026 16:06

Good for williams, good for me

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: GroveF1 (IP Logged)
Date: 19/08/2026 17:54

Guaranteed both will be keeping their options open for next year, but Albon is not as marketable to other teams hence only signing one year. Sainz’s team know a top team can break his contract. Albon? Hmm not so sure.

I don’t feel the Audi rumours were really there all a long term dream of his father not Sainz. As ppl say don’t always do what your parents want.

Now it’s up to Williams to deliver and Sainz to stop being so publicly and PR critical

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: crusty_bread (IP Logged)
Date: 19/08/2026 18:06

Great news, but this comes much sooner than expected. Very odd timing. I thought we'd be waiting on the b spec to give sainz more data to go on. Instead he re signs a multi year deal whilst we are languishing at the back. I don't know how vowles pulled it off tbh. I'm guessing Sainz's options elsewhere just dried up rapidly. Either that or he's always been sold on the williams vision relative to viable alternatives and his complaints and timing were all designed to cash in whilst williams held a weak hand.

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: Mehryar (IP Logged)
Date: 19/08/2026 18:28

Best thing JV has done in last few months.
Great news.

http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/1095/mehryarsigyo7.gif

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: boro1986willliamsf1 (IP Logged)
Date: 19/08/2026 21:52

Both have performance release clauses in there contract Alex probably didn't have any good options so on his multi year contract resigned and I suspect Carlos signed his multi year contract with a similar release clause for next season so 2027 silly season is going to be interesting hopefully we can provide them with a decent car next year

100% Williams
WILL SUPPORT WILLIAMS AS LONG AS We HAVE A TEAM To Support

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: Mr Brooksy (IP Logged)
Date: 19/08/2026 22:37

Ah, more good news. Hopefully we can provide a good enough car next year to keep them both. We certainly don't need Colopinto back, he's shown he is mediocre at best. Maybe if we need another driver next year we could look at Browning or if we want someone with experience and speed, Gasly or even Bottas who wanted in for 2025 before we signed Sainz.

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: Williams222 (IP Logged)
Date: 20/08/2026 04:36

The contract is highly lucrative - reports suggest up to 30 million Euro per season - and it is also believed to contain exit clauses based on the team's future performance.

Money talks

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: Andrew Hooper (IP Logged)
Date: 20/08/2026 06:23

There is so much thyat we don't know of that has influenced Sainz's decision.

Simply to have one poor season does not make for the end of the world but as you say all drivers would have exit clauses in their contracts.

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: GroveF1 (IP Logged)
Date: 20/08/2026 08:11

Verstappen committed to Red Bull until 2030 say sky sports

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: Williams222 (IP Logged)
Date: 20/08/2026 09:58

Quote:
GroveF1
Verstappen committed to Red Bull until 2030 say sky sports


For Verstappen to stay at Red Bull I would say they must be going to pay him at least 50 million dollars per year.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2026:08:20:09:59:37 by Williams222.

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: crusty_bread (IP Logged)
Date: 20/08/2026 18:15

To put the sainz deal in perspective, it's alleged that max is already currently paid 70m dollars base with an estimated 11m dollars from performance bonus.

There's quite a driver salary bubble at the moment on account of there being so much money in F1 and driver fees existing outside the cap which cannot be invested elsewhere. That williams can play the money game at all is a novelty as usually you would expect williams to be conpletely outbidded by a manufacturer.

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: j-s (IP Logged)
Date: 20/08/2026 21:14

1M+ per race. Not a bad deal for Sainz. Hope it comes with added pressure for him, ie, I hope he earns it and then some.

F1 is a money machine atm, and drivers its main ambassadors. Great to see them cash in, honestly. It means teams have money, and with that comes parity, hopefully. Who would have guessed in 2021 that in 5 years williams would pay 30m a year for a driver? Crazy.

Re: Sainz commits to multi-year contract with Williams F1 Team
Posted by: crusty_bread (IP Logged)
Date: 21/08/2026 07:45

It's also clear that there is the money and the will from ODL to invest in success far beyond what is permissable by the regulations to spend on the car and infrastructure.

Its the double edged sword with this cost cap but it must be massively frustrating at this point. Long term success through parity with facilities is clearly ODLs primary focus based on what was said when he took over and what Vowles has been emphasising ever since he joined. 30m to burn on a driver salary for one year, who may not even be around by 2028, yet it will take them 9 years (2021 - 2030) to drip feed investment sufficiently into this team to bring the williams facilities up to scratch within the cost cap regulations, despite that being their primary goal.

The top teams knew exactly what they were doing when they agreed to these regs. Save williams, save themselves a fortune, but dont allow williams to dine with them at the top table without years of self inflicted pain and compromise first. If williams make it, it will have been extremely hard earned.

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