Sainz: Williams FW48 'a second off' even without excess weight

Carlos Sainz has delivered a blunt verdict on Williams' 2026 season, declaring that even without the excess weight plaguing its FW48, the car would still be roughly a second off the pace due to fundamental aerodynamic flaws. After finishing fifth last year, the squad has slipped to eighth, and Sainz warned following the Barcelona Grand Prix that the deficit is too large to blame solely on an overweight chassis.

Why it matters:

Williams entered the year with momentum after securing fifth in 2025, a result that granted extra wind-tunnel time under F1's Aerodynamic Testing Regulations. Sainz's criticism suggests the team has failed to capitalize on that advantage, raising serious questions about its development direction and James Vowles' goal of building a championship contender.

The details:

• The FW48 arrived late for pre-season testing and significantly overweight after failing a crash test, forcing structural reinforcements.
• For budget-cap reasons, the team is gradually shedding kilos by running components to end of life before replacing them with lighter versions.
• The Spaniard highlighted a chronic lack of downforce in medium- and high-speed corners, citing qualifying deficits of up to 1.8 seconds and race gaps near two seconds at Barcelona.
• While 2026 regulations were designed to slash downforce, most teams have already exceeded expectations. Williams, however, has taken what Sainz called an "insufficient step forward."

What's next:

Sainz has called for a fundamental rethink, urging the team to "go back to the drawing board" and accelerate upgrades. With rivals capitalizing on their own ATR allowances, Williams faces a narrowing window to recover. Unless the Grove squad unlocks major aerodynamic gains soon, last year's fifth place risks becoming a high-water mark rather than a launchpad.