Is Carlos Sainz Jr driving a 2024 chassis during his debut year for Williams? Rumors about the Spaniard’s car surfaced after the Madrid-born driver finished behind teammate Alexander Albon twice. Team boss James Vowles now puts an end to these rumors about Sainz’s chassis.
Carlos Sainz’s adventure with Williams has started with mixed results. In Melbourne, the Spaniard’s race ended prematurely due to a crash, while in China, Sainz took a point home partly due to the Ferrari disqualifications. Teammate Alexander Albon had a smoother start, finishing the two opening races in fifth and seventh place respectively.
Rumors therefore circulated that Sainz was driving a rebuilt 2024 chassis. Team boss James Vowles quashes these theories about Sainz’s car once and for all. “Both Alex and Carlos use exactly the same equipment,” the Brit explains in the Vowles Verdict video. “The same chassis, the same front wings, the same gearboxes, everything is of the same specification and to the same standard.”
Evolution
Vowles then explains how the 2025 chassis of both Sainz and Albon is an ‘evolution’ of last season’s chassis, rather than a completely new design. “This allows us to focus on 2026. Not financially, but in terms of time,” the team boss explains. “I also want to add that I think a number of teams on the grid have done the same as us.”
