Williams reveal Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz exit fear after unwanted 'surprise'

Williams boss James Vowles has detailed how he feared he would lose both Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz from the team following its disappointing start to 2026. 

Vowles's fears were allayed this week with the news that Albon had agreed a new deal to stay for 2027, whilst Sainz penned a new multi-year deal to extend his stay at Grove, having been the big-name capture when he left Ferrari. 

Williams enjoyed a strong 2025 season, with Sainz taking two grand prix podiums, in Azerbaijan and Qatar, and third in the US Grand Prix Sprint in Austin, as the team finished fifth in the constructors'. 

However, for the rules reset of 2026, the FW48 chassis has proven to be a step back from where the team believed it would be, and was initially late, and missed the Barcelona shakedown, before being found to be overweight. 

Some of this has been shed, and a further package is due for the Azerbaijan GP, as Vowles spoke candidly about his fears of losing both drivers, who he called "world championship material," and spoke of the huge boost the news that both had been staying had given to the rank-and-file on the factory floor. 

"I was concerned about losing both, because they are world championship material drivers that deserve the opportunity to be fighting for podiums or more, and we haven't delivered that," Vowles told media, including RacingNews365.

"If you look to the outside, I hope there's no doubt that we've been slowly stepping forward, with last being a blip, but a step in the right direction, so for us to move backwards isn't just a surprise to the drivers; it is a surprise to everyone, and that would always create a risk that you lose them. 

"What I'm thankful for is the moment when we had problems; they stood by our side. It wasn't finger-pointing; it was actually: 'Tell me what I can do,' and they both came into the factory and spoke to the whole organisation and gave them a lift. 

"Carlos and Alex did the same; they re-signed, and they wanted to make sure that they were here with the team. 

"They want to be a part of this team, that is here for the turnaround of this organisation, and I'm thankful for that, but it's also an indication of what we've shown them of what's happened and what we're doing about it. 

"For me, it was incredibly important [to keep them] for three reasons. One, it shows the outside world. I can't tell you everything that's going on behind the scenes, but I can tell them, and if they are re-signing, it will give you an indication that there's a lot of change ongoing. That they believe in what the future looks like, and that that belief is incredibly important, whether it's for team members or for anyone in the outside world. 

"Number two, that consistency is important because the team is really maturing and changing. And as much as you can keep consistent, especially in your driver line-up, it becomes desperately important in order to keep building on that. 

"Probably the best way to summarise it to you is the factory. There's a weight lifted off it this week as a result of [the re-signings], and I've seen them move forward at a much faster pace as a result. So the belief is real and tangible."