EXCLUSIVE: Late nights, secret meetings, huge contracts – how James Vowles signed Carlos Sainz:

“We connected because they have very similar family values ​​to mine: honesty, performing on the track without politics, and doing the best you can with the equipment you have. That resonated with both sides.

“It was Abu Dhabi 2023, so no one knows what will happen to Carlos. My job is to let them know that we are serious about getting back to the top, and here we are. And let them know. Then the news came to Luis. [Hamilton leaving Mercedes and taking Sainz’s seat at Ferrari for 2025]It surprised me, and it surprised Carlos at the same time, so I started the normal negotiation process.

Analysis: How Williams beat Sauber and Alpine to secure Sainz and what that means for the rest of the driver market

“To the end – you better check with Carlos, he’ll tell you the same thing – everything I told him is the truth about this project. That means all the good parts and all the bad parts. It was consistent from beginning to end.

“This is who we are, this is what we’re investing in, this is why I believe in it, this is what the future looks like. Do you want to be a part of this?

“I believe in this project. I came here from the comfort of Mercedes for good reasons. We have a history of being the second most successful team on the grid, we have real investors who are seriously supporting this project. We want to succeed and this is what success looks like. You can’t fundamentally apply the same level of demands up and down the grid. And if no one takes this as a sign that Williams has changed, then nothing is going to change you.”