Home Race: How Williams Is Investing In Carlos Sainz, the Madrid Grand Prix, and the Power of a Fan

Formula 1 returned to Madrid for the first time since 1981, ending a 45-year absence with a brand-new circuit built for a new era of the sport. In this panel, Carlos Sainz reflected on racing in his home capital for the first time in his career with Williams—a team that had made a bold commitment to him. Together, the conversation explored one of the most compelling stories in motorsport: a historic team in the midst of a genuine rebuild, a Spanish superstar backed by an entire nation, and a fanbase that had become more global, more digital, and more emotionally invested than ever before. The panel examined what it took to build a team's identity from the inside out, and how Williams was using Carlos, the Madrid race, and every touchpoint beyond the grandstand to transform a comeback story into a global fan movement. Carlos Sainz, Driver, Atlassian Williams F1 Team; Peter Kenyon, Board Advisor, Atlassian Williams F1 Team; Eric Sheinkop, Co-Founder & CEO, The Desire Company