Williams started the 2026 Formula 1 season facing some difficulties, and Carlos Sainz stated that he already foresaw the problems even before the season began. The Spanish driver revealed that signs of difficulties emerged in the months leading up to the debut under the new technical regulations.
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The British team was banking on this year’s technical changes as an opportunity to make a leap forward on the grid, especially after finishing last season in fifth position among constructors. However, Williams missed the first shakedown and has also been dealing with an overweight car, factors that contributed to the complicated start.
Sainz stated that, despite the situation being surprisingly large, the signs already existed: “Certainly, it was a shock for me and everyone on the team. It’s no secret that it has been difficult. I already felt this coming in December or January,” he told the press.
The Spaniard explained that he began to notice the worrying scenario when delays in the schedule and difficulties in preparing the car emerged: “I started to prepare for the impact, because we already had these conversations about delays, about not making it to the first test. I started hearing the numbers for the overweight car and thought: ‘That doesn’t look very promising to start with’,” he stated.
After three rounds, Williams occupies ninth position in the championship, with Sainz scoring two points in the Chinese GP. Even far from the front-running teams, the Spaniard remains confident in their ability to recover throughout the season.
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“From the beginning, I knew that at some point Williams would face an obstacle. Not all paths to success are linear; there would always be an obstacle. This one is big, probably even bigger than I expected,” he said.
Sainz emphasized that the moment demands resilience and the ability to react. According to him, the current difficulties can help the team correct structural problems, from the production process to the development and delivery of overweight components: “If this obstacle helps eliminate the bad things the team had, it can create the opposite effect, a big leap in performance,” he added.
The Spaniard concluded by emphasizing that the focus is now on Williams’ reaction: “Now it’s about seeing, analyzing, and observing how we manage to make that leap after a much bigger obstacle than everyone expected,” he concluded.
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