Sainz: Williams Recovered Lost Testing Time But Car Has 'Quite a Few' Limitations

Carlos Sainz says Williams has successfully recovered the crucial mileage lost by skipping January's Barcelona shakedown, but the team has identified "quite a few" areas for improvement on its new FW48 car during pre-season testing in Bahrain. The Spanish driver noted that while reliability has been strong, allowing the team to log laps, the focus is now shifting to unlocking performance and finding a better setup window for the challenging new regulations.

Why it matters:

For a team like Williams, every minute of pre-season testing is invaluable for understanding a new car and refining its setup. Missing an entire test session could have set them back significantly in the development race. Sainz's assessment suggests the team has managed the initial crisis of lost time but now faces the harder task of addressing the car's inherent performance limitations before the first race.

The details:

• Williams was forced to miss a private test in Barcelona from January 26-30 due to delays in the development of its new FW48 chassis.
• Sainz confirmed the team's primary goal in the first Bahrain test was to add mileage and verify reliability, which they achieved successfully.
• With the car running reliably, the team has shifted focus to performance, discovering multiple areas on the car that need improvement.
• Sainz explained that missing the Barcelona test put the team a step behind in its initial setup understanding, as that session is typically used to establish a baseline.
• Tricky Conditions: The first week of testing in Bahrain was characterized by very strong winds, making it difficult for all teams to gather consistent data.
• Improved Predictability: Sainz noted that calmer conditions in the second week, combined with setup adjustments tailored to the new regulations, have made the car more predictable and better to drive.

What's next:

The clock is ticking for Williams to translate its learnings from Bahrain into concrete performance gains. The team will use the final days of testing to continue refining the FW48's setup and addressing the identified limitations. How effectively they can close this performance gap will be the first true test of their 2024 competitiveness when the season begins in Bahrain on March 2.