Williams F1 boss James Vowles has conceded he was “surprised” 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Carlos Sainz was overlooked by Red Bull and Mercedes, hailing him as one෴ of the🦹 “top four” drivers on the current grid.

On Monday, Williams announced they have signed Sain𝓰z fo💖r the next two years.

It’s a major coup for Williams given that Sainz is widely-regarded as one of the best drivers on the grid, stacking up well against 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lando Norris at McLaren and now 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.

Sainz attracted major interest from Audi and Alpine, but opted to join Vowles’ exciting W♛illiams project.

Speaking on Tuesday, to media including in a vir൩tual press conference, Vowles admitted if he was in Red Bull’s position, he would have signed Sainz to put aloꦺngside Max Verstappen.

“When you’re ಞin Red Bull’s position where you’ve got a constructors’ championship at risk,” he said. “It’s a hard decision but yes, I would have Carlos alongside Max.”

Vowles admitted his former team♋, Mercedes, are in a trickier position given th♛eir sways in performance.

“If you’re in Mercedes it’s a hard choice,” he explained. “They’ve swayed between not been competitive in which case it makes sense to invest in the future [Antonelli] to being ✃very competitive - so now it’s a harder decision whether you invest in known or unknown entities.

“That said, if Mercedes have made that decision they have farꦚ more information than I do it’s more likely they’re more than confident in the direction of travel. Whether that’s Max or Kimi, I am not sure. They’re nꦚot fools. They’ve made this decision sensibly.

“If Red Bull have decided to do this, then again, there’s reas🐈ons behind it I won’t be aware of. They’re multiple world champions. They don’t make decisions lightly. But I was surprised.”

The acquisi🤪tion of Sainz gives Williams one of the strongest line ups on the😼 grid.

Vowles believes Sainz is among the top fou𓃲r drivers - and at times - the second best.

"Yes [I was surprised], is the short answer to it because I rate him as one of the top four if not at times the number two driver on the grid,” he added. "Why 🧔wouldn’t you want that in your stable? My view of things is that fundamentally competitors are getting closer and closer so the marginal difference that a driver can make. I don’t just mean in performance terms.

“Every te♓am he’s been in has improved significantly, and I get why sp🧜ending the last nine months talking to him.

“At least weekly if not daily in truth. Rachel, my partner, has been very confused as to our relationship together relative to mine with Carlos. What I have realised with him is that he's a performance machine. He absolu🌟tely will do everything it takes within his power not to just transform himself but the team around him. That’s powerful.

“That’s worth more than what he can drive the ca🎃r at. That’s worth it if you can move the team forward by the same amount.”