Williams rubbish rumoured ‘exit clause’ in Carlos Sainz’s F1 deal

Williams have rubbished suggestions that Carlos Sainz’s F1 contract includes a special exit clause which would allow him to leave for Mercedes or Red Bull.

Months of speculation was finally put to bed as Williams announced the statement signing of outgoing Ferrari driver Sainz on a multi-year deal from 2025.

Sainz has spent the past few months weighing up offers from Sauber/Audi and Alpine before ultimately choosing Williams. There were also suggestions he was keeping his options open in case a vacancy at Red Bull or Mercedes emerged.

Rumours appeared in some media outlets that Sainz wanted an exit clause in his contract before committing to Williams which would enable him to join Mercedes or Red Bull if either team came knocking.

German publication F1-Insider claimed Sainz’s “€10 million” deal included a condition which could have seen him never actually race for Williams.

But Williams team principal James Vowles moved to deny such reports.

"There are precisely 10 people in the world that know what the interior of the contract holds, just 10,” Vowles told media including Crash.net on Tuesday.

"And I guarantee you, none of you on the call is it, no one in this company is it, and particularly sat around me at the moment. The Carlos camp know, and I know what's inside that. So anything you've read on the internet is speculation, and that is it.

"The message that [the deal is for] '25 and '26 and beyond did not come from myself, that came from Carlos. He wanted it to be abundantly clear to all of you, to the world, that he has committed and this is where he wants to be."

Sainz will replace Logan Sargeant to become Alex Albon's new teammate and complete Williams' 2025 driver line-up. 

“I really do believe in what we're doing, the direction of travel, and why it will be successful,” Vowles added. “I believe the same around Carlos as well - if you're going to go for an individual that's going to make the difference.

“I'm not just focused on how quick he is in the car. I'm focused on how he is as a personality – and this also includes how his entourage is.

“That includes Carlos his manager, and Carlos his father. His father is as performance-driven as Junior. He's an incredible character, and the three of them together come as a package, and that's what we need here in Williams. I think the fit is absolutely perfect.

“They are the exact words I told them from the very beginning to the very end of this journey.”