Formula 1 will once again have Alex Albon starting from the pits at the 2026 Chinese GP. Williams decided to change the suspension setup of the FW48 again, repeating the scenario that had already happened with the Thai driver in the Sprint in Shanghai.
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The new change to the car forced the team to break Parc Fermé conditions. As a result, Albon loses his original position on the starting grid and will be forced to start the main race from the pits, in another sign of the difficulties faced by Williams at the start of this season.
The most curious thing is that the circumstances practically repeated themselves compared to Saturday. Albon had initially qualified in 18th position, again behind teammate Carlos Sainz, and the change in suspension setup once again led to the breach of Parc Fermé rules.
In other words, the British team repeats exactly the same script seen in the Sprint, with the same qualifying position, the same comparison to Sainz, and the same reason for removing the driver from the grid. The case reinforces how much Williams is still looking for answers regarding the car’s behavior this weekend in China.
In the Sprint, Albon finished only in 16th position and failed to enter the points zone. Sainz also finished far from the frontrunners, keeping the team without points in the short stage held in Shanghai.
Williams’ start to the championship has been quite complicated. Neither Albon nor Sainz scored points in the opening round of the season, and the car’s situation still worries the team in different areas of performance.
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One of the main problems with the FW48 remains its excess weight. The car is considerably above the ideal weight, something that had already been pointed out as one of the factors preventing the team from fighting in better conditions in the Formula 1 midfield.
This technical disadvantage has left Williams in a delicate position at the start of 2026. The Grove-based team is trying to stay close to the midfield battle but has been losing ground to direct competitors.
Internal expectations, in fact, are not the most encouraging for the short term. The assessment is that the team is unlikely to regain the level of competitiveness that led it to fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship last season anytime soon.
As a result, Albon’s pit lane start is another chapter in a difficult weekend for Williams in China. While other midfield teams are at least able to fight for better positions, the English team continues to look for emergency solutions to try to understand and fix the car.
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