Carlos Sainz will swap the team who sit second in the constructors’ championship for the ninth-placed team in 2025♋.

It is a major achievement for Williams to convinc൩e the outgoing Ferrari driver to come their way next year.

His commitment to🍸 their long-term project may me🏅an giving up grand prix wins that he has become accustomed to in the shorter term.

F1 Nation podcast host Tom🦩 Clarkson addressed that worry with Williams team principal James Vowles.

Clarkson aske♐d: “Do you have any concern🌄s that it will be a difficult transition for Carlos? He’s already won a race for Ferrari, he might win another in the second half of the year.

“So he’s going from being a race-winning F💖errari driver to a team 💮that’s at the tail-end.

“Do you think that’s hard🌃 for a dri꧅ver to get their head around?”

Ex-Mercedes chief Vowles admitted: 🌺“You’ve summarised why the decision took so long🌌. Yes.

“But I don’t see it as any differ♐ent t🍸o the journey that I’ve taken.

“I went from the front of the grid to the back of the grid. A purposeful decision tꦉo do so.

“B꧙ut the rewards you get, moving the team for♉ward, is far greater than the odd win.

“That’s where I suggest Carlos’ head is at.

“He knows what๊ he’s signed up to⭕. He’s not a fool.”

Sꦕainz has been in discussions with W💞illiams since late last year, and eventually picked them ahead of Sauber and Alpine.

Vowles said: “The first🥂 time I met his ꦇfamily was in Abu Dhabi in 2023. He was signed with Ferrari.

“Th🐟ere was only one driver I’d dug into this level of de🌠tail with, and it was Carlos.

“That doesn’t mean I wasn’t talking to other drivers. I was. And, at different points. But it was lightweight compared to the di🥀scussion with Carlos.

“In ‘23 it was ‘here’s who I am, what I stand f🐼or, this ౠis why I believe in the project, I ask you to seriously consider it’.”

But Vowles has admired Sainz for many years.

“I had an eye on him beforehand,” he saജid. “Carlos has beaten Lando, Charles, at times Max.

“I remember Toro Rosso thinking ‘Max is quick but don’𝓀t underestimate the other chap’.

“It sta🦂rted there. When he’s in the right frame of mind - in the second year at McLaren, how his performance evolved…

“When comfortable he is bloody quick! We didn’t know how quick Land♊o was, at the time. But I knew how quick George was, it inter-links.”

Finally, Williams have got their man.

Sainz has signed on to p🐲artner Alex Albon for the next two years at leas🌺t.