F1 team 'make £26m driver offer' to Carlos Sainz

Latest F1 News

F1 team 'make £26m driver offer' to Carlos Sainz

Williams have their work cut out for them to convince Sainz to stay

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Wednesday 29 July 2026 08:15

Make us your Google favorite

F1 star Carlos Sainz has reportedly been made a multi-million pound offer as he weighs up whether to commit his future to Williams or not.

When the former Ferrari star was kicked to the kerb by the Scuderia to make way for seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton, Sainz settled on a new home with Williams.

The four-time grand prix winner seemed a good fit for the squad led by James Vowles, who was determined Sainz was the man to lead the Grove-based outfit into a fresh competitive era.

Article continues under video

Under the new regulations, Vowles was hoping that with Sainz's help, Williams could return to winning ways, however halfway through the first year of said regulations and the team have instead taken a massive step backwards.

Sainz's maiden year with his new team went much better than planned and he even made two appearances on the grand prix podium.

However, after the winter months came the pre-season shakedown, which Williams failed to even attend. When they arrived at testing, it became clear they were ill-prepared.

Sainz made 'world champion's offer as rival options 'off the table'

Sainz's contract with Williams expires at the end of 2026 and just 11 races into this year's campaign, he is faced with the brutal reality that the championship is a write off and instead, they must focus on improving for 2027.

As things stand heading into the summer shutdown, Sainz and his team-mate Alex Albon sit way down in P15 and P16 in the drivers' championship, whilst Williams have just 11 points to their name in the constructors' standings.

So, in a bid to keep their star driver, reports have now spread that Williams have made Sainz a mammoth contract offer.

In a post on social media platform 'X', Marc Limacher, a motorsport business expert and the man behind BUSINESS / book GP shared the rumblings he has heard regarding Sainz's future.

"I’ve heard that Williams has made a ‘world champion’s’ offer to Carlos Sainz to continue their partnership," wrote the Frenchman.

"Specifically, a salary of over 30 million euros per season and performance-related clauses.

"As far as Sainz is concerned, the Audi option is off the table, as is the Alpine one."

Talk of Max Verstappen's performance clause has dominated silly season in both 2025 and 2026.

If Sainz decided to add similar terms to his agreement with Williams, that could still give him the power in 2027 and beyond should the team fail to give him a competitive car and a more desirable seat opens up elsewhere on the grid.

F1 HEADLINES: Hamilton boss admits mistakes as F1 champion 'offered new deal'

F1 Carlos Sainz Williams 2026 regulations