A ‘Ferrari-level’ contract with huge pay is said to be ready to keep the F1 driver after the 2026 season.
The Formula 1 season has entered what fans call the ‘silly season’ — a time when teams start thinking about which drivers will race for them next year. This often leads to lots of changes in the driver line-ups.
Teams are busy deciding who would be the best fit, and drivers themselves are also looking at their options, hoping to join a team that can help them win races or even a championship. Right now, several drivers, like Liam Lawson, Fernando Alonso, and Franco Colapinto, have contracts ending this year, which might shake things up quite a bit.
To attract top drivers, teams may have to offer big contracts. For example, Autosprint reports that Williams might give Carlos Sainz a big pay raise to keep him on their team. They’re said to be offering him a deal worth €30 million (£25.7m), which breaks down to about £9.8m per season.
Sainz could leave Williams after this year but also has the option to extend his deal until 2027 or 2028. However, Williams’ struggles this season might make him look at other options, like spots at Alpine or Aston Martin. There’s even talk he could join Audi alongside Australian driver Oscar Piastri next year, especially if Max Verstappen moves from Red Bull to McLaren.
Williams hasn’t been performing well, partly because they missed pre-season testing and built a heavier car than expected. They’re currently ninth in the Constructors’ Championship and often find themselves stuck in the early qualifying rounds. Sainz has only scored points three times this season, always finishing ninth for a total of six points. His teammate Alex Albon has five points from two races.
With these results and his contract situation, rumors about Sainz leaving are understandable. Still, it’s clear that Williams wants to keep him for his talent and help the team improve in the future.