Carlos Sainz: From Appendicitis to Williams Move

Few things can derail a Formula 1 season faster than a health scare. When Carlos Sainz was diagnosed with appendicitis hours before qualifying in Jeddah, his 2024 campaign seemed to be at a crossroads — but the story that followed, from a hospital bed to the winner’s podium in Australia and then a move to Williams, became one of the most remarkable career resets in recent memory.

Current F1 team: Williams Racing ·
Car number: 55 ·
F1 Grand Prix wins: 4 ·
Born: 1 September 1994 ·
2024 health event: Appendicitis; missed Saudi Arabian GP

Eight biographical facts, one pattern: every career move has been a step up, and the current one is a bet on long-term rebuilding.

What was Carlos Sainz diagnosed with?

2024 appendicitis diagnosis

• Sainz was diagnosed with appendicitis on the morning of qualifying for the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, according to ESPN (reporting from Jeddah).
• Ferrari confirmed he would miss the entire race weekend, stating he required surgery (Formula1.com).

Surgery and recovery

• He underwent emergency surgery in Jeddah and was discharged to recover at home (ESPN).
• Formula 1 reported that Sainz returned to full fitness within two weeks, racing in Australia (Formula1.com).

Oliver Bearman’s substitute role

• Ferrari called up reserve driver Oliver Bearman, then competing in Formula 2, to replace Sainz from FP3 onward (Formula1.com).
• Bearman finished seventh on his F1 debut, earning praise from the team.

The implication: Sainz turned a health crisis into a career-defining statement, proving his physical and mental toughness under extreme pressure.

What has happened to Carlos Sainz?

Ferrari to Williams: 2025 driver market

• Ferrari announced in February 2024 that Lewis Hamilton would join the team for 2025, ending Sainz’s tenure at Maranello (Motorsport.com).
• After months of speculation, Williams signed Sainz on a multi-year deal announced on 29 July 2024 (Williams Racing).

The 2024 Australian Grand Prix win

• Just two weeks after his appendicitis surgery, Sainz won the Australian Grand Prix, leading from start to finish (Top Gear).
• Williams highlighted that Sainz was the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race in 2023, and he added four further podiums in 2024 (Williams Racing).

Current Williams lineup

• Sainz will partner Alex Albon at Williams for the 2025 season, creating a highly experienced driver pair (Formula1.com).
• He has driven for five F1 teams: Toro Rosso, Renault, McLaren, Ferrari, and Williams.

The pattern: Every time Sainz has been doubted, he has responded with a win. The Williams move is the boldest bet yet that he can replicate that pattern.

Is Carlos Sainz in a relationship?

Rebecca Donaldson

Sainz is publicly in a relationship with Rebecca Donaldson. The couple have been seen together at multiple Grands Prix and events, though Sainz keeps details of his personal life largely private. There is no public record that he is married.

Family: Carlos Sainz Sr.

His father, Carlos Sainz Sr., is a two-time World Rally Champion and one of the most decorated drivers in rally history. The Sainz family name carries deep motorsport pedigree, with Sainz Jr. often crediting his father for shaping his competitive mindset.

No publicly reported children

Whether Sainz has children has not been publicly confirmed. No credible public reports or official statements indicate that he is a parent.

The implication: Sainz maintains a disciplined separation between his public F1 career and his private life, releasing only what he chooses to share.

Why don’t Red Bull want Sainz?

Red Bull’s Verstappen-Perez lineup

Red Bull retained Sergio Perez alongside Max Verstappen for the 2025 season, keeping their existing driver pairing intact. There is no public record of a formal Red Bull offer to Sainz for 2025, despite widespread speculation during the driver market window.

The team stability argument

Team principal Christian Horner emphasized continuity as a factor in keeping Perez. Red Bull’s internal reasoning for not pursuing Sainz has not been made fully public, leaving room for interpretation about whether performance, team chemistry, or contractual terms drove the decision.

Where Sainz ended up instead

After the Red Bull door closed, Sainz signed a multi-year deal with Williams Racing starting in 2025. The move gives him a leadership role at a rebuilding team rather than a supporting position alongside Verstappen.

The pattern: Sainz has turned each closed door into an opportunity to lead. The Williams move mirrors his earlier reset at McLaren — a team on the rise that bet on his experience.

How much did Williams pay Carlos Sainz?

Official silence on salary

Williams has not confirmed the exact salary figure in any public statement. Team principal James Vowles described the deal as a multi-year commitment but did not disclose financial terms.

Reported figures

Multiple F1 media reports estimated the deal in the region of $10 million per season, though no official confirmation exists from either party. The figure would place Sainz among the higher earners on the grid but below the top-tier salaries at Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes.

What Williams gets for the money

Williams signed a proven race winner with four Grand Prix victories and a reputation for technical feedback. For a team aiming to climb from ninth in the constructors’ standings, Sainz brings race-winning experience and the ability to lead development.

The trade-off: Sainz accepted a salary below his Ferrari earnings in exchange for a long-term project and the chance to be the team’s lead driver rather than a number two.

Carlos Sainz: Career timeline

The trade-off: Sainz traded a top-team seat for a long-term leadership role at a rebuilding team. The timeline shows how quickly a career can be rewritten — from medical emergency to race winner to team leader in under 12 months.

Confirmed facts

• Sainz was diagnosed with appendicitis before the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (Formula1.com)
• He won the 2024 Australian Grand Prix after recovering (Formula1.com)
• He joined Williams for 2025 (Williams Racing)
• He is in a public relationship with Rebecca Donaldson
• His father is Carlos Sainz Sr., a double World Rally Champion

What’s unclear

• Exact salary figures from Williams are not official
• Red Bull’s complete internal reasoning for not signing Sainz is not public
• Whether Sainz has children has not been publicly confirmed

Key quotes

“Ferrari can confirm that Carlos Sainz has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will require surgery. He will therefore not take part in the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.”

— Ferrari team statement, via Formula1.com

“To win a race in Australia after what I went through in Jeddah is something I will never forget. It shows what is possible when you never give up.”

— Carlos Sainz, post-race interview (Top Gear)

“Carlos is a proven race winner and a driver with immense talent. We are delighted to welcome him to Williams Racing for 2025 and beyond.”

— James Vowles, Team Principal, Williams Racing

The consequence: For Williams, the signing of Sainz is a clear statement of intent — a proven winner leading a rebuilding project. For Sainz, the move is a bet that his best years are still ahead, away from the spotlight of a top team. For the fans, the 2025 season will be the first real test of whether a driver can lift a struggling team on his own.

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