Carlos Sainz has signed a multi-year contract extension with Williams that will keep him with the team for the 2027 Formula 1 season and beyond.
The 31-year-old Spaniard had expressed doubt over his future with Williams amid a second campaign with the team that has failed to deliver the strong results of 2025, which makes his decision to sign a multi-year deal something of a surprise.
Wednesday’s announcement came a day after the team confirmed Sainz’s team-mate Alex Albon had signed a one-year extension to remain with the team for the 2027 season, with both drivers’ previous deals having been set to expire at the end of 2026.
A Williams statement said: “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.”
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Sainz’s arrival at Williams last year came as a major coup for team principal James Vowles as a contest for the Spaniard’s services played out after he was let go by Ferrari to make way for Lewis Hamilton.
Sainz performed impressively during his four seasons with Ferrari, as he had done in a two-year spell with McLaren before that, establishing himself as one of the sport’s top drivers in the process.
Sainz said: “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.”
After a challenging start to life at Williams as he adjusted to the car, Sainz enjoyed an extremely strong finish to the 2025 season, claiming podiums in Azerbaijan and Qatar that helped the team finish a comfortable fifth in the Constructors’ Championship.
That form created hope that Williams could start strongly as new regulations were introduced for 2026, but they have massively underwhelmed, claiming just 11 points from the opening 11 rounds of the season to sit third from bottom in the constructors’ standings.
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Vowles said: “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.”
The Formula 1 season resumes after the summer break with a Sprint weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix from Friday, with every session live on Sky Sports. Stream Sky Sports with NOW – no contract, cancel anytime