James Vowles of Williams is not confirming any rumors that Carlos Sainz's recently signed contract includes unique provisions for early termination.
In light of his 2025 replacement at Ferrari by Lewis Hamilton, and with no openings at either Red Bull or Mercedes, the 29-year-old Spaniard has chosen Williams as his best option among the remaining Formula 1 teams for next season "and beyond."
Yet, there is intense speculation that although Sainz's contract may last two, three, or more seasons starting next year, his management has arranged potential exit strategies enabling the 3-time race winner to leave should a more favorable opportunity arise with a leading team.
"I'm surprised Mercedes and Red Bull didn't sign Carlos," Williams team principal Vowles commented to Marca sports newspaper this week.
"The competition is getting closer and closer, so the driver really can make a difference.
"And I'm not just talking about performance, but I've noticed Carlos has significantly improved all of the teams he's been in. So it's great news for us," Vowles continued. "I see him as the second best driver on the grid at times and certainly in the top four."
Vowles acknowledged that he has been straightforward with Sainz, making it clear that while Williams might not be competitive in the "short term," he and the owners harbor ambitious plans for the team's future.
However, whether Sainz will stay with Williams into the distant future remains uncertain.
Spanish F1 analyst Antonio Lobato mentioned on DAZN this week that he's heard the contract contains "interesting exit clauses" in case "a seat at one of the big teams becomes free."
Vowles did not confirm these details.
"There are exactly ten people in the world who know what's inside that contract," he stated.
He did, however, confess that the negotiation process, including potential media leaks, has been "a bit more public than I would normally like."
Regarding the official statement about Sainz committing to 2025, 2026 "and beyond," Vowles concluded: "That was Carlos' request."
