Lando Norris believes Pink Bull ought to have opted to signal Carlos Sainz for 2025, following the Spaniard’s transfer to Williams.
Sainz was a recognized free agent after Ferrari secured the signature of Lewis Hamilton at the beginning of this yr, with the seven-time world champion heading to Maranello subsequent season. Till early June, Pink Bull had not confirmed Sergio Perez’s future on the group, whereas Mercedes nonetheless has a emptiness for subsequent yr, however Norris believes Sainz ought to have been paired with Max Verstappen once more having been a Pink Bull junior driver up to now.
“I don’t know what their plans are,” Norris informed Sky Sports activities. “Truthfully, the straightforward one is simply to say Pink Bull, he ought to have gone there in my eyes. Clearly, I’m biased, I do know Carlos greater than I do know Checo and that type of factor, however Carlos deserves so much. He’s probably the greatest drivers in Components 1 — he’s confirmed that numerous occasions — and I’m a great pal of his.
“So I’m pleased for him that he’s nonetheless in Components 1; I’m nonetheless pleased that he received to drive and that he can attempt to deliver Williams again up. And him partnering Alex [Albon], I believe can be good for Components 1 on the identical time. In order that’s a great factor, however I’m positive lots of people would have cherished to say that he ought to have gone to Pink Bull doubtlessly, however that’s not my choice to make.”
Williams group principal James Vowles additionally admitted earlier this week that he was shocked Sainz wasn’t signed by one in every of Pink Bull or Mercedes, however says he sees the match of the whole Sainz camp — together with his supervisor Carlos “Caco” Onoro Sainz and his rally legend father, Carlos Sainz Sr. — as good for Williams.
“You’re going to go for a person who will make the distinction — and I’m not simply targeted on how fast he’s within the automobile, I’m targeted on how he’s as a character,” Vowles stated. “By the way in which, this additionally contains how his entourage is — that features Caco, his supervisor, and Carlos, his father. His father is as performance-driven as junior. He’s an unbelievable character.
“The three of them collectively come as a bundle. And that’s what we’d like right here at Williams. I believe the match is completely good. They’re the precise phrases I informed them from the very starting to the very finish of this journey.”
