Formula 1 showed Williams’ current scenario at the 2026 Japanese GP, with Carlos Sainz taking the car to Q2, but unable to advance beyond that. The Spaniard starts 16th, just ahead of Alex Albon, who was out in Q1.
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The result highlights a team in evolution, but still far from the main competitors. Despite this, the performance was considered within expectations by the team in Suzuka.
Sainz highlighted that reaching Q2 already represented the possible limit at this moment. “Reaching Q2 was the best scenario for us and we achieved it, so I am satisfied with that,” he stated.
The Spaniard also highlighted the collective work to extract the maximum from the car. “As a team, we did everything we could and my laps were solid. There was progress compared to China, but we still need to evolve,” he said.
Even satisfied with the performance under the circumstances, he recognizes that the result is still far from ideal. “P16 is not where we want to be, but I will give my best to maximize the race,” he added.
On the other side of the garage, Albon had a more frustrating Saturday, missing out on Q2 by a narrow margin. The driver stated that the car showed good behavior, but there are still points to be resolved.
“It was a frustrating day, because the car is working well and I felt comfortable like I hadn’t felt yet this year,” he commented.
According to him, part of the problems identified in previous stages has already been resolved, but new challenges have emerged. “We corrected some issues from Melbourne and China, but there is another problem that is still limiting us. We need to understand where it comes from,” he explained.
Team principal James Vowles acknowledged the current limitations but valued the gradual progress. “It was everything the car could deliver today. We are taking small steps every week, and that is the most important thing,” he stated.
He also showed confidence in the evolution throughout the season. “We know we don’t have the car we want yet, but we are confident in our plan for the coming weeks and for the rest of the year,” he said.
For the race, the goal is to take advantage of any opportunity. “We will give everything tomorrow and fight for points if they are within our reach,” Vowles concluded.
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