Former Williams F1 deputy team principal Claire Williams has revealed that she tried to sign Carlos Sainz during her time in charge of the team.
Sainz is preparing for his first season as a Williams driver having been forced to make way for seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari for F1 2025.
Claire Williams reveals previous Carlos Sainz talks
The signing of the four-time race winner has been hailed as a major coup by Williams as James Vowles, only the third team principal in the Grove-based outfit’s history, seeks to orchestrate a turnaround in the Grove outfit’s fortunes.
Ms Williams, the daughter of late team founder Sir Frank Williams, spent more than seven years as deputy team boss between 2013 and 2020, when the Williams family sold the team to Dorilton Capital.
And the 48-year-old, a pundit in the latest series of Netflix F1 hit Drive to Survive, has revealed that she made efforts to sign Sainz during her tenure.
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Sainz made his debut with Red Bull junior team Toro Rosso (now Racing Bulls) in 2015, joining Ferrari at the beginning of 2021 after brief spells with Renault (now Alpine) in 2017/18 and McLaren in 2019/20.
Ms Williams told the official F1 website: “The Carlos Sainz story was brilliant to talk about because Carlos Sainz to Williams is such a brilliant story.
“I spent a bit of time trying to negotiate with Carlos to come to the team when I was running it.
“It’s now 10 years later and he’s finally made it there.
“To know the impact that someone like Carlos Sainz will have at Williams, it’s nice to be able to give my insight into that.”
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In an exclusive interview with PlanetF1.com last year, Ms Williams revealed that it has been “really tough” to come to terms with life outside F1 since the family’s involvement with the team ended.
She said: “I don’t watch every race.
“I’m obviously involved with Drive to Survive, which feels a little strange to me as I’m now asked to comment on other people’s actions when I really didn’t enjoy people doing that to me when I was running the team.
“So I find that a bit of a tough gig, but I feel it’s a privilege to be involved in what’s been an incredibly successful show.
“I was a keen supporter of it when it first came into the sport, to open the sport’s doors and take fans behind the scenes really showcases what a brilliant sport this is, not just to existing fans, but also new ones.
“But, other than that, I went to [the 2024] Miami [race], which was a great trip and a great race, but I’ve taken a step back from the sport.
“I was in Formula 1 one way or another my whole life.
“If I’m honest, it has been really tough. Williams has been my life and one minute, it’s there, and one minute, it’s not.
“Those race cars felt like a part of me. The team felt like an extension of my family and they’re not there anymore.
“I don’t get to see them each and every day. That has been really difficult to get used to.
“But when one door closes, another opens. That’s my philosophy when it comes to life. I’m very lucky – I have a lovely life, I have a wonderful husband, and I have a gorgeous little boy.
“I get to spend way more time with them now than I ever would have done if I was still in the sport. That’s a great privilege and a source of enormous joy for me.
“It’s not easy getting over Formula 1. It gets into your soul.
“So, no, it’s not easy to say goodbye to F1.”
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