Carlos Sainz and Williams are having a tough begin to the 2026 Formulation 1 season, and the robust occasions continued in Austria the place the Spaniard was compelled to confess “we do not have reliability, we do not have tempo, we do not have a automobile able to scoring factors”.
Williams has made no secret of its struggles this yr because it battles with a automobile that’s chubby and uncompetitive. It has thus far scored simply 11 factors and sits eighth within the workforce standings, with Sainz 14th on six factors within the drivers’ championship.
In Austria, the struggles continued as each Sainz and team-mate Alex Albon have been knocked out in Q1 in qualifying for the race on the Pink Bull Ring. Nonetheless, the workforce recognized a number of points after the session, and Sainz had a optimistic outlook forward of the race.
“We found a few issues yesterday night and earlier than qualifying that weren’t working fairly proper,” he informed Spanish broadcaster DAZN.
“We managed to repair them and, truthfully, immediately I used to be at the very least having an excellent race. I used to be preventing automobiles I did not count on to be preventing – the Audis, the Alpines, the Haases – and I used to be in a position to maintain them off. So that is the optimistic I take away: the tempo.”
Nonetheless, Sainz’s enthusiasm was lower brief by {an electrical} problem that ended his race and introduced out the digital security automobile after he floor to a halt on the pitstraight. It was then that the extent of the “positives” from the weekend hit dwelling.
{An electrical} problem took Carlos Sainz out of the Austrian GP
Photograph by: Eric Le Galliot
“Let’s not child ourselves, optimistic solely throughout the context of the extent of efficiency we now have proper now, which could be very poor,” Sainz continued.
“It is optimistic as a result of this weekend I wasn’t snug with the automobile, after which I modified a few issues earlier than qualifying and some extra earlier than the race, and that obtained me again to the place I used to be in Barcelona and within the earlier races, the place I felt snug – at the very least with the restricted efficiency we now have.
“So, I am at the very least reassured by that. However hopefully this would be the final of those actually unhealthy weekends the place the whole lot has gone incorrect. As a result of in the long run we do not have reliability, we do not have tempo, we do not have a automobile able to scoring factors, so we’ll have to attend and see if issues enhance at Silverstone.”
The hope on the horizon for Sainz takes the type of a set of upgrades that Wiliams is getting ready to roll out. The Grove workforce has been cautious with its programme of recent elements, because it goals to deal with its weight and efficiency points in a single go, relatively than burning by way of its finances cap with minor adjustments.
The primary new elements will arrive at Williams’ dwelling race at Silverstone subsequent weekend, the place Sainz’s team-mate Albon believes the FW48 may make a transfer up the order.
“It isn’t going to get us to the midfield, however it can get us perhaps nearer to the Haas,” Albon informed reporters together with Motorsport.com. “I believe that is perhaps a smart first step this yr to get a bit of bit nearer to the midfield automobiles. We obtained lapped by the RBs immediately, so… We’re fairly a far approach away.”
Extra reporting by Stuart Codling
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