Williams feared losing Albon and Sainz amid 2026 struggles

Williams team principal James Vowles has revealed he genuinely feared losing both Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz as the team slipped backwards under Formula 1's 2026 regulations. After finishing fifth in the constructors' standings in 2025, Williams has tumbled toward the rear of the grid this season, raising real concerns that two of the sport's top talents could start looking for the exit.

Why it matters:

Keeping Albon and Sainz on the roster is vital for Williams as it pushes through a major internal transformation. Both are widely regarded as world championship-caliber drivers, and losing either would have stalled the team's rebuild and crushed morale at a fragile moment in its development.

The details:

• Vowles called the pair "world championship material" who deserve chances at podiums, admitting the team's regression created a legitimate risk they would look elsewhere.
• Rather than pointing fingers during the slump, both drivers recommitted and visited the Grove factory to rally the staff, giving the organization a tangible lift when it needed it most.
• Sainz, who scored two grand prix podiums during his first season with Williams in 2025, has maintained the same professional approach whether fighting for 18th or the podium.
• Albon has provided essential continuity since returning to F1 in 2022, offering long-term perspective and stability as the team works through its latest rough patch.
• Vowles noted that a "weight lifted" inside the factory after the re-signings were secured, and the workforce has since accelerated its efforts with renewed belief.

What's next:

The challenge now is converting that factory-floor momentum into actual results. At the Dutch Grand Prix, the gap to the front remains glaring—Albon qualified 16th and Sainz 18th for the sprint race—underscoring that Williams still faces a long road back to the kind of form that earned it fifth place just a year ago.