Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari team boss, has commended Carlos Sainz for his exemplary conduct amidst persistent and intense speculations regarding his career moves in Formula 1.
The Spanish driver's next chief will be James Vowles, following the announcement by the Grove-based Williams team this Monday, which ended widespread speculation during last weekend at Spa-Francorchamps by confirming Sainz's long-awaited contract signature.
The team disclosed that the 29-year-old Sainz's new agreement spans 2025, 2026 "and beyond," yet it's widely rumoured in F1 circles that the contract includes significant clauses that would allow him an easy exit should Mercedes or Red Bull present an offer.
After considering concurrent solid offers from Audi-Sauber and Alpine over many weeks and months, Sainz stated he would now "go on holiday very calmly."
While not yet explicitly confirming the completed deal at Spa on Sunday, the current Ferrari driver recognized it had been a demanding period for him, yet was gratified by the stand-out interest from the Vowles-led Williams team.
"It is a privilege to receive so much positive feedback," he conveyed to Spanish journalists. "I feel honoured and can only thank everyone for their patience and for wanting me."
"James has been very clear about the fact that Williams would like to have me," Sainz noted. "I am a fan of his work ethic and admire how he is helping the team move forward."
"The market is very complex," he observed. "I had to wait and see how everything unfolded. And what we see every week makes me feel that it was right to wait. Every week something new happens. I'm waiting so long because when you look at the market and you see the changes, it's clear that it was the right choice.
"The longer I waited, the more information I got about each option. I'm now looking forward to the summer break, so I won't have to answer these questions anymore," he smiled. "I've heard them every day for the last six months."
However, many of the three-time Grand Prix winner's fans are left disappointed. "I know that's the case," stated Spanish F1 television commentator Antonio Lobato, on DAZN.
"Williams is among those at the back of the grid right now. It's a team that hasn't won a race since 2012. So it's very easy to say how bad it is to take a big step back."
"But it's not the place he'd like to go. It's the place he can go. The reality is that Carlos had options with basically every team on the grid, except for any of the top three," Lobato added.
"The Williams contract was one of the first he had on the table. There have been some modifications since then and interesting exit clauses in case a seat at one of the big teams becomes free," he continued.
"Other positive things? Williams is a team in the process of transformation. And there's James Vowles, who comes from Mercedes, and who is changing many things.
"Carlos can help the team a lot to make it better. So I like the lineup with Alex Albon, and Williams will have a Mercedes engine in 2026, just as it has now," Lobato said. "That's a guarantee that it's going to be good."
"If the aerodynamicists do their part correctly, who knows what can happen in 2026."
Vasseur admitted that all the speculation about the future had been a "distraction" for his current Ferrari driver, but Sainz did "a great job" anyway.
"He is very professional, very consistent," the Frenchman praised. "Honestly, Carlos' approach is mega professional and he was uncompromising from day one this season, as he was last year. I can't complain about Carlos at all."
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