Carlos Sainz announced on Monday that he is leaving Ferrari after four years to join Williams. In the lead-up to his new contract, the Spanish driver was one of the most sought-after racers on the grid. However, he didn’t end up with one of the top teams. Williams team boss, James Vowles, doesn’t quite understand why: “If I were Red Bull, I would have put Sainz next to Verstappen.”
James Vowles held a digital press conference on Tuesday following the new collaboration with Carlos Sainz. Over the past few months, he has frequently praised the Spaniard. According to him, ‘the team went all in’ on Sainz. The many accolades have paid off, with the 29-year-old driver signing a two-year contract with the British team on Monday.
Vowles is surprised that he didn’t face more competition from the top teams. With three victories, shouldn’t Sainz have been an interesting option for Mercedes and Red Bull? “If you’re in Red Bull’s position and you need to win a constructor’s title,” said Vowles, “I would have put Sainz next to Max Verstappen.”
Former Teammates: Sainz and Verstappen
Sainz and Verstappen were previously teammates when they debuted together at the then Toro Rosso. At that time, the relationship between the two rookies was not always smooth. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko would later describe their collaboration as ‘toxic’. Whether Sainz and Verstappen can get along well now is debatable.
Mercedes’ Decision
According to Vowles, Mercedes faced a ‘more difficult choice’ when it came to signing the Spaniard. “They are not always competitive, which makes it logical to invest in guys like Antonelli in the future,” he explained. “But when they are competitive, it’s harder to decide whether to invest in known or unknown drivers. They’re not stupid, I assume they’ve made a wise decision.”
Of course, the same applies to Red Bull, although Vowles finds it surprising that Sainz did not get a chance from the Austrians. “They won’t make rash decisions, but I was surprised,” he concluded.
