Mattia Binotto says Carlos Sainz ignored his dad’s advice before rejecting Audi

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Carlos Sainz made his own choice, ‘not his dad’s choice’, when he picked Williams over Audi, Mattia Binotto has said.

Sainz had offers from three midfield teams on the table when he lost his Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilton in 2024 – Williams, Audi (still Sauber at that stage) and Alpine.

The Spaniard ultimately went with James Vowles’ project, and while the first season was a success as he finished ninth in the standings with two podiums, Williams have disappointed at the start of the new regulations.

Audi boss reflects on failure to sign Carlos Sainz

Sainz has scored six points so far this season through three P9 finishes. That leaves him 13th in the championship.

His average qualifying position so far is 16th, which may be a better reflection of Williams’ true pace.

When courting the four-time Grand Prix winner, Vowles told Sainz that Williams aspired to be front-runners under the new regulations, but the gap to the top teams has grown substantially after production delays in the winter.

While Audi have made a respectable start for a newcomer, Gabriel Bortoleto’s P9 finish at the season opener in Australia remains their only return so far. Reliability has been an issue, with two DNSs and one DNF in the first five rounds.

CEO Binotto reflected on the failure to sign Sainz, his former driver at Ferrari, on the Beyond the Grid podcast.

“No, [I wasn’t disappointed],” he said. “Obviously, we had a good relationship at Ferrari. I knew that I trusted him. It was good to meet and have a discussion and chat with him.”

• READ MORE: Guenther Steiner doubles down on Carlos Sainz making a mistake joining Williams over F1 rivals

His father has represented Audi in the Dakar Rally three times, lifting the trophy in 2024. Binotto heavily hinted that Sainz Sr recommended a move to the German manufacturer.

“He evaluated but, as with everyone, I’m always very respectful to the decisions of the people,” he said. “If he decided a different way, I’m happy for him, because honestly, I think he made his own choice, and that was important.

“I would even say that he made his own choice, and not his dad’s choice, which is great for him.”

It’s believed that Sainz’s deal includes a break clause at the end of this year, but Audi are pleased with their line-up of Nico Hulkenberg and Carlos Sainz, so he may have to look elsewhere if he does wish to leave.

Sainz has been linked with Red Bull, but that will only be an option if Max Verstappen retires or changes teams.