Carlos Sainz bid farewell to Ferrari in style, ending his final season in red with a podium finish Abu Dhabi. But the move to Williams marks the beginning of a new challenge, and the Spaniard has already made headlines. On his first official day with the new team, an important announcement came: the Banco Santander, historical sponsor linked to Sainz's career, will be the new commercial partner of the Grove team: a strategic move that underlines Williams' ambition for the future.
Williams, double hit: Sainz and Santander
The partnership between Williams and Santander was made official in the hours following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, underlining the immediate impact of Sainz's arrival. The Spanish banking institution will accompany the Madrid driver in his new adventure, consolidating its image as a driver-ambassador of motorsport. The Santander logo will appear on the Williams livery already during the end-of-season tests at Yas Marina, a tangible sign of the synergy between driver and sponsor.
Juan Manuel Cendoya, Vice President of Santander Spain, said:
“We are delighted to partner with Williams Racing on a tactical agreement that allows us to continue to offer exclusive experiences to our customers and to continue to support Carlos Sainz in his new adventure. Williams is one of the historic teams with the greatest legacy in F1 and complements our role as official retail banking partner with a focus on our core markets.”

A new era for Williams and for Carlos
The link between Williams and Santander, as well as the arrival of Sainz, is much more than a commercial move: it is the symbol of a team that wants to return to fight for the top positions. James Vowles, team principal of the team, commented enthusiastically on the agreement, underlining how this partnership is another step in the transformation of the team:
“Joining forces with a global banking giant trusted by tens of millions of people around the world is another significant step in our evolution. With Carlos and Santander, we aim to excite fans and build a competitive future.”
Sainz: a leader on and off the track
After demonstrating his professionalism in an emotionally complex season with Ferrari, Sainz arrives at Grove as a determined leader, capable of attracting high-level sponsors and bringing a new vision.
The choice to focus on Sainz and the agreement with Santander is proof that Williams wants to accelerate the process of rebirth. It is no longer a team that is content to survive at the bottom of the grid, but a team that, step by step, wants to become great again.
With Banco Santander at their side and Sainz at the wheel, Williams now has all the cards in place to dream big. Will they be able to realize this ambition as early as 2025?