Three-podium F2 driver claims he was ‘second’ in line for Williams seat after Carlos Sainz

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Carlos Sainz will partner Alex Albon at Williams in 2025, the team confirmed at the start of the summer break. Williams were one of those who took a risk by waiting for the Spaniard.

James Vowles started courting Sainz in 2023, with the expiry of his Ferrari contract looming. After striking a deal for Lewis Hamilton in the winter, the Scuderia informed him that they wouldn’t be renewing that deal.

Sainz would wait a further six months or so before choosing his next team. He was at the centre of the F1 driver market, with Kevin Magnussen calling him the ‘cork in the bottle’.

While top F1 teams ultimately decided not to launch a fully pledged pursuit of Sainz, multiple midfield outfits made him their top target. For instance, he had a longstanding offer on the table from Audi.

Alpine also made a strong push to sign the 29-year-old following Esteban Ocon’s departure. But in the end, he placed his faith in the Williams project.

The Englishman’s patience was rewarded. Williams were ready to announce Sainz in Spain before he hesitated, but they never lost faith that a deal was possible.

Franco Colapinto believes he was Williams’ plan-b after Carlos Sainz

Naturally, Williams would also have drawn up contingency plans in case they missed out. Valtteri Bottas was strongly linked with a return to Grove.

Bottas is closing in on 250 race starts in Formula 1, but it seems that Vowles was ready to place his faith in a young driver instead. Franco Colapinto, the F2 driver who’s part of Williams’ academy, claims he was next in line.

Speaking to DSports, the Argentine said he was on the verge of securing the seat. But he insists that he’s ‘very happy’ that Williams have secured a three-time Grand Prix winner.

• READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Williams Racing from team principal to Mercedes relationship

Colapinto, 25, is currently fifth in the championship in his first full season of F2. He took his first victory in the Imola Sprint, and also scored podiums in Spain and Austria.

“I felt close,” he said. “I think I was second behind Carlos and obviously I understand perfectly why Carlos is going. I have no objections. I am very happy for the team that a driver with a lot of experience and talent from a team like Ferrari is going there.”

Why Adrian Newey won’t join James Vowles’ Williams project for 2025

If Williams had signed Colapinto, some would have drawn comparisons with Logan Sargeant. Sargeant has struggled since joining Williams at the end of 2023, leading to doubts as to whether he’ll see out the 2024 season.

The American had also impressed in F2, finishing fourth in the championship in 2022. But he wasn’t able to handle the step up to the highest level.

Williams would have heralded Colapinto as a homegrown success story, but critics would have accused them of lacking ambition. Now that they’ve landed Sainz instead, their intentions are clear.

Off the track, Vowles has also pursued Adrian Newey as the legendary designer prepares to leave Red Bull. He previously won championships with the team in the 1990s.

But Newey won’t be returning to Williams because he believes there’s too much work to do. At the age of 65, he may feel he can’t see the project through before he retires.