James Vowles reveals one reason why negotiating with Carlos Sainz was tougher than Lewis Hamilton

Follow us on Google Discover

Williams team principal James Vowles has revealed the one way that negotiating the deal to sign Carlos Sainz was actually harder than with Lewis Hamilton for Mercedes.

The Ferrari exile is Williams-bound next season after Sainz agreed to pen a multi-year deal. It will see the Spaniard replace Logan Sargeant in Grove in 2025 after Vowles sought to sign an upgrade on the American. Williams wanted a driver who can equal what Alex Albon delivers.

Sargeant has spent the first two seasons of his Formula 1 career beside Albon after Williams promoted their academy driver. But the 23-year-old has not shown enough to merit another new contract. So, Vowles has signed Sainz to an initial two-year deal with options past 2026.

James Vowles found the length of the negotiations to sign Carlos Sainz staggering

Vowles leapt on a chance to replace Sargeant with Sainz after Ferrari announced in February that the 29-year-old will leave Maranello. The Scuderia opted to abandon talks with Sainz on a contract for past the 2024 Formula 1 season after hearing Hamilton could leave Mercedes.

Hamilton had signed what was believed to be a two-year contract extension for Mercedes in August 2023. But it became evident that the 39-year-old could get out of the terms after the 2024 season. So, Ferrari and Hamilton agreed on a multi-year deal to join when Sainz’s ends.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz’s life outside F1 from full name, girlfriend and height

Given Sainz’s contract with Ferrari was already due to expire after the 2024 season, Williams had also already started talks with the Spaniard. Vowles has revealed that he first contacted Sainz after the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix but they have only now finalised their agreement.

While Vowles was patient with Sainz also talking to Alpine and Audi, he admits that the saga is probably the longest contract negotiation in Formula 1 history. He further suggests it was tougher than when Mercedes sought to get Hamilton to renew whilst Vowles worked there.

“I did say to him it’s probably the longest by a long way,” Vowles has told Formula 1’s official website about the length of their talks. “And Lewis’s contracts are difficult, to be clear!”

James Vowles left Mercedes to be the team principal of Williams

Vowles left Mercedes to become the team principal of Williams in January 2023 after acting as the Silver Arrows’ strategy director. His time in Brackley helped toward the team winning eight constructors’ titles between 2014 to 2021 and seven drivers’ titles from 2014 to 2020.

READ MORE: F1 2024 teammate head-to-head battles including race, Sprint and qualifying

Hamilton won six of their drivers’ titles with Vowles on Mercedes’ pit wall, during which the Briton negotiated fresh contracts in 2015, 2018, 2021 and 2023. He joined the team back in 2013 but will move to Ferrari next season and created the chance for Williams to sign Sainz.

Now, Vowles finally has his top target to replace Sargeant, who is losing 13-0 for Grand Prix qualifying and 11-2 for results to Albon. But Sainz made Williams wait with Alpine tempting the Spaniard into a potential return to Enstone after driving for Renault in the 2018 season.