James Vowles Reveals the ‘Unique’ Carlos Sainz Trait Keeping Williams Together Through Their Toughest Season

• James Vowles says Carlos Sainz’s temperament, not just his speed, has become a driving force behind Williams’ rebuild
• Sainz and Alex Albon have both committed to Williams beyond this year, giving Vowles a settled lineup through 2027
• Vowles admits Williams is “too far away” from the front right now and is pointing most of its resources toward next season’s new rules

James Vowles believes Carlos Sainz’s “unique” approach to racing has made him a valuable asset at Williams, pointing to the Spaniard’s enduring competitive spirit as one of his biggest strengths through a difficult season.

Sainz took Williams back to the podium last season, but the team suffered a significant downturn in 2026, sliding from best of the rest to scrapping toward the back of the field. He has been vocal about the team’s issues, which include delayed development and a car that was too heavy, but he nevertheless committed to Williams with a multi-year deal to show his confidence in where the team is headed.

Watch every race of the 2026 season live on Apple TV

‘He Is Immensely Good’

Vowles was unsurprisingly delighted to retain his current lineup, with Alex Albon also set to race for Williams in 2027, and reflected on Sainz’s qualities over the Dutch Grand Prix weekend. “He is immensely good,” he said.

“His attitude and approach doesn’t change irrespective of whether he’s fighting for 18th or a podium, and that’s quite unique,” Vowles said. “Normally, you’ll see a change in persona from individuals, the more frustrated they are, the more emotion kicks into it, and Carlos doesn’t have that at all. He’s just driven by constant performance improvements. Fundamentally, that is what you need to be driving yourselves forward with.”

A Contract Signed Amid a Difficult Season

Sainz arrived at Williams in 2025 after leaving Ferrari, and though he was no longer fighting for wins, he collected two Grand Prix podiums as the team climbed to fifth in the Teams’ Championship. The 2026 campaign has been far tougher, with Sainz managing six points from the opening rounds and his best finish, P9, coming in China, Miami and Canada. He retired from the Austrian Grand Prix in June after losing power on track, calling the team’s performance that weekend “still not good enough” even after a car he described as closer to the pace he had felt earlier in the year.

That run of results did not stop Sainz from signing his new multi-year deal in August, one day after Albon agreed his own extension. “I’m thrilled to announce my continued journey with the Atlassian Williams F1 Team family,” Sainz said at the time. “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.”

Vowles, announcing the signing, credited Sainz’s work off the track as much as his pace on it. “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 said. “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.”

‘We Are Too Far Away’

Williams shares an ambition to return to fighting for points, wins and eventually titles, but its timeline has been pushed back by an unexpected setback under this year’s regulations. As rival outfits such as Aston Martin continue to recover ground through major upgrades, pressure is mounting on Williams to take a step forward when its own changes arrive at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, though Vowles has stressed that improvement will take time.

“When we look at where the grid is right now, we are too far away,” he said. “So a lot of our focus is really going into next year, especially since there is a power unit change and an aerodynamic regulation change, in order to sort of get back onto, let’s say, a solid foundation.”

“It’s a team that’s hurting, there’s no doubt about it,” Vowles added. “We’re not where we want to be.”

Leaders Behind the Scenes

For Vowles, the recommitment from Sainz and Albon means more than what either driver can deliver behind the wheel. “This is not what we planned for, so to have the news that two of your leaders are by your side and growing with you and believe in the journey you’re on is incredibly powerful for an organisation, especially when we’re asking what we are of them,” he said.

He pointed to the drivers’ conduct away from the track as proof of their character. “It isn’t just about what they bring on track, it’s about the leaders they are behind the scenes,” Vowles said. “An example of that is when this winter went pretty poor, both flew to the UK and spent time with the team to effectively just support them in every way that they could do, which is unusual, but it’s an indication of who they are as characters.”

Want more F1Chronicle.com coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for the best F1 news and analysis on the internet.

More F1 Reading

• Lando Norris Signs New McLaren Contract Through 2030 and Explains Why He Wants the Team to Be His Home ‘Forever’
• Sergio Perez Admits Cadillac’s ‘Lot of Disappointment’ Forced a Reset as He Reflects on Building an F1 Team From Scratch
• Mercedes Sacrifices Kimi Antonelli’s Home Race With Back of the Grid Monza Penalty as George Russell Braces for the Same Fate
• Esteban Ocon’s Haas Future Left Hanging as Team Boss Ayao Komatsu Says They Are ‘Not in Any Rush’

Written by

Jack Renn

Jack Renn is an editor at F1 Chronicle and a veteran motorsport journalist with 25 years of experience covering Formula 1 and international motorsport. A member of the Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive (AIPS), the global body representing accredited sports journalists, Jack has spent his career reporting from paddocks and press rooms across the F1 calendar. His work spans race analysis, technical insight, and in-depth features, giving readers authoritative coverage grounded in decades of firsthand experience at the highest level of the sport.

More articles by Jack Renn →