F1 Grand Prix of Hungary - Final Practice - Source: GettyCharles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz interacting with fans at Hungaroring ahead of the 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix (Source: Getty)

After a few turbulent months in search of a team, Carlos Sainz has now signed a multi-year deal with Williams F1. Charles Leclerc, his current Scuderia Ferrari teammate, has shared a heartfelt post on his Instagram page for the Spanish driver.

Carlos Sainz joined Ferrari in 2021 as a replacement for the four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. Since his arrival, both Sainz and Leclerc have consistently pushed for top results. However, there was a change in the team dynamics with the news of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton joining the Scarlet Red outlet.

Since then, the three-time race winner has been looking for a team that can allow him to perform at his best. As Formula 1 heads into its summer break, Carlos Sainz has confirmed a multi-year deal with the historic Williams F1 team.

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Immediately after the announcement, Charles Leclerc wrote a heartwarming message for Sainz on Instagram. Here’s a look at the post, captioned:

“Wishing you the best for your new adventure next year Chili 🌶️ Still got half a season together to have some more special moments as teammates 🏎️💨💨”


Although the move to Williams looks straightforward, it would have been a challenging one for Sainz to finalize. The other two teams in contention were Kicks Sauber and Alpine. With all teams having their pros and cons, Sainz took his time to consider the available options.

A brief look at Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc’s 2024 Formula 1 season with Ferrari so far

Ferrari has significantly narrowed the gap to championship leader Red Bull Racing compared to the previous two seasons. A large part of this success is attributed to the strong performances of drivers Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc.

Both drivers had a decent start at the season-opening race in Bahrain, where Sainz finished third and Leclerc ended in fourth position. However, due to a medical emergency, the former missed out on the second race in Saudi Arabia. The latter, on the other hand, ended up in third place, behind the two RBR drivers.

Sainz’s return to Formula 1 in Australia was nothing less than a fairy tale. The young Spaniard secured his first and only P1 finish for the 2024 season. Since then, he has maintained a strong podium presence, with finishes in Japan, Monaco, and Austria.

Meanwhile, Leclerc has managed podium finishes in Australia, Miami, Emilia-Romagna, Belgium, and Monaco. The highlight of his season was the victory at the Mediterranean Principality, where he managed to fend off several attacks from McLaren’s Oscar Piastri.

As of now, Ferrari (345 points) stands third on the Constructors table, behind Red Bull Racing (408 points) and McLaren (366 points). Individually, Charles Leclerc is third in the driver’s championship with 177 points, while Carlos Sainz is in fifth with 162 points.