Carlos sends surprise message to first 2026 Fan Appreciation winner
Carlos Sainz surprised one lucky fan with a video message as our Fan Appreciation rewards get underway
Published
18 JUN 2026
Est. reading time
3 min
Fan Appreciation 2026 is officially underway, and our first winner has already claimed a prize money can’t buy.
As part of this season’s rewards for fans who reach Champion or Legend tier in the Atlassian Williams F1 Team app, a lucky supporter was randomly selected to receive a video message from Carlos Sainz Jr.
That fan was Daniel. A lifelong Williams supporter, Daniel was selected as the very first Fan Appreciation winner of the year, and his reaction said it all.
“Thank you very much for selecting me as the first winner of the 2026 Fan Appreciation program, I’m absolutely thrilled!”
“That was a great surprise and I really appreciate the recognition from the team.”
After receiving his message from Carlos, Daniel made sure to save the moment straight away.
“I also watched the video message (and downloaded it!), please pass on my thanks to Carlos and everyone involved.”
Daniel's unique Williams ID
Daniel’s Williams story stretches all the way back to the early 1990s, growing up during one of the team’s most dominant eras.
“My connection with Williams started in the early 90s when I was a kid,” he explained. “I admired the team’s determination and ambition to compete at the highest level.”
“Over time I found myself following Williams more closely than any other team because the story always felt authentic - highs, setbacks and continuing to push forward.”
Like many fans of that generation, iconic names helped shape that connection.
“Drivers like Nigel Mansell and Damon Hill are true icons. Later I also loved watching my fellow countrymen Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Ralf Schumacher representing Williams.”
That passion is now being passed on to the next generation too.
“Just recently, together with my son, we built the LEGO Icons Williams Racing FW14B & Nigel Mansell set. It looks great and I enjoyed telling my son stories about the car back then.”
When asked for his favourite Williams memory, Daniel pointed straight back to the team’s dominant era.
“Hard to pick one in particular really, it’s probably the domination displayed during the 1990s, introducing active suspension.”
And when he thinks about Williams today, it’s not just results that stand out.
“Williams is one of those teams that feels bigger than results alone, there’s a strong identity and passion around it.”
“Moments where the team exceeds expectations are especially memorable because they feel earned.”
As for our app, Daniel says it’s the fan interaction that keeps him coming back.
“I enjoy the exclusive content and rewards, but particularly love Pit Wall Predictions and Tyre or Lower, which makes me follow the team even closer and feel more connected throughout the season.”
And this is only the beginning. With plenty more Fan Appreciation rewards still to come in 2026, there are even more reasons to keep climbing the tiers, because you never know what surprise might be waiting next.
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