Carlos Sainz explained the decision to stay at Williams.

      On the eve of the Dutch Grand Prix, Williams announced the extension of the contract with Carlos Sainz. In Zandvoort, the Spanish driver explained why he decided to sign a new multi-year contract with a team that is facing serious problems this season.

      Carlos Sainz: "The break came at a very opportune time, especially after a very difficult first half of the season when we did not meet our own expectations. Two years ago, I said I was committed to this project, and now I wanted to reaffirm my readiness to work with the team.

      At the moment, Williams is going through a very challenging period, and the last thing I wanted was for people to continue speculating about whether I would stay or leave. I truly believe in this project, and it is not in my character to abandon the team and move elsewhere at the toughest moment.

      We all understand how important next season will be for us. If we really want to return to the leaders, after the current failure, we need to make a serious leap forward in 2027. Right now, all efforts are focused on this – we want to understand how to fix the situation and prevent it from happening again.

      For me, it was important to understand where we currently stand, what we can achieve next year, and what is happening in the team that is not always visible from the outside. I wanted to make sure that we are taking the necessary steps to ensure that the current problems do not recur. I believe that behind the scenes, even more positive things are already being done.

      I still believe in Williams' long-term plan. It is clear that the current season has significantly pushed back our plans, and it was important for me to ensure that the work that should yield results in the medium term continues. We must do everything possible to ensure that such a situation does not happen again."