Sainz: I Could Smell Williams' Struggles Coming

Williams' new 2026 car is overweight and missed its shakedown, leaving the team at the back of the grid. Spanish driver Carlos Sainz, who scored two points at the Chinese Grand Prix, said he sensed the trouble as early as December, warning the team was heading for a “big bump.”

Why it matters:

• Williams hoped the 2026 regulation overhaul would improve on its fifth‑place finish last year.
• An uncompetitive car erodes sponsor appeal, hampers driver morale and costs crucial midfield points.

The details:

• The car missed the opening shakedown, the first such absence for Williams in years.
• Early data showed the chassis was significantly overweight, compromising aero efficiency and tyre wear.
• After three races Williams sits ninth in the Constructors' standings, with Sainz the only points scorer (2 points in China).
• Sainz told reporters: “It’s no secret it’s been tough. I could already smell it coming in December… the overweight numbers didn’t look promising.”

What's next:

• Engineers will redesign components and shed weight before the next testing block.
• The team hopes the current “bump” forces a faster pace of development and a midfield surge later in the season.
• Sainz believes that if the underlying issues are fixed, Williams can climb back into the points battle.

If Williams can turn this adversity into a catalyst for change, they could re‑establish themselves as a solid midfield contender and maybe challenge the front‑runners by the second half of the year.