Formula 1: Bizarre Carlos Sainz Jr. rumor puts Williams future in question

The 2024 edition of Formula 1 silly season was largely focused on Carlos Sainz Jr. and Kimi Antonelli after Lewis Hamilton's move from Mercedes to Ferrari was confirmed. Both drivers had their seats for 2025 confirmed rather late in the season, with Sainz set to move to Williams and Antonelli set to replace Hamilton at Mercedes.

Both of their moves were called into question, due to the teams they are set to join. The Spaniard’s future was put into a frenzy when Hamilton’s move to Ferrari was announced very early this year, and Sainz’s remaining options were not that great. He was initially rumored to potentially join Red Bull, Mercedes, Alpine, Sauber, or Williams, but he took his time with negotiations and other teams moved on, leaving the 30-year-old with Williams as his only destination.

As for Antonelli, the main things questioned regarding the young Italian driver were whether he was ready for Formula 1 and whether he can keep Mercedes competitive. His performance in Formula 2 this season was tough to assess, as Prema Racing’s car had its deficiencies.

An old rumor rejuvenated?

Rumors of Sainz being swapped for Antonelli in 2025 were strong a few months ago before both drivers' moves were confirmed. However, a Brazilian journalist named Mariana Becker reported that a switch could still be possible and that the two teams even spoke before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

While not impossible, any switch now would seem improbable, as both drivers took part in post-season testing for the teams with which they have signed for 2025. Based on Sainz’s final moments at Ferrari, it appears that his focus is now fully on Williams and is invested in the project James Vowles has presented.

The Williams team principal has openly admitted that the FW47 will not be competitive in 2025, due to several crashes in the latter half of the 2024 season and the team's vision for 2026, with massive regulation changes slated to go into effect.

Going from competing for the constructor championship to fighting for points is not a shift that Sainz would have necessarily wanted. As for Antonelli, filling Hamilton’s shoes is a big task, and consistently driving well to keep Mercedes toward the top is an even bigger one.

All things considered, a switch makes sense for all parties. Sainz would be with a team where he can still compete for wins while Antonelli can take his time developing his skills at Williams. Though pre-season testing is scheduled to begin about two months and it is quite late for a driver swap, crazier things have happened in Formula 1, and this swap becoming a reality should not be ruled out.