CARLOS SAINZ EXPOSES KEY QUALIFYING PROBLEM BEHIND WILLIAMS’ RACE WOES
Carlos Sainz’s heroic fightback to score a point in Singapore highlights Williams’ strong race pace. The Spaniard reveals a deeper car issue, not just tyre warm-up, is the root cause of the team’s recurring qualifying struggles.
After only scoring one point in Singapore, Carlos Sainz's valiant comeback from the end of the grid revealed a deeper tale of speed, tenacity, and a recurring qualifying error that keeps Williams from reaching his full ability on race day.
Late on Saturday, Williams' Singapore weekend took a serious hit. Sainz and teammate Alex Albon were both demoted after their FW47s were discovered to have violated regulations with a non-compliant rear wing, after qualifying 13th and 12th, respectively.
With Albon starting from the pit lane and Sainz dropping to 18th on the grid, what had appeared to be a strong foundation for a points finish abruptly turned into an uphill battle.
Lewis Hamilton laments the passing of his cherished dog Roscoe.
From Penalty Suffering to Salvage Points
But the Spaniard made a subtly stunning comeback on Sunday night beneath the floodlights. He pushed his way through the pack during a massive 50-lap run on medium tyres, fending off Oliver Bearman's late pressure on fresher rubber and finishing in 10th place after a strategic switch to softs. Few had anticipated this hard-won point.
After the race, Sainz said, "I was hoping for points from 13th, but definitely less from 18th."
"To be transparent, each simulation we ran indicated that we needed safety cars at the appropriate times to score points, but today's pace was so excellent that we were able to salvage a point from a challenging Singapore.
"I think we were one of the only midfield cars to be able to make it through the field because we had such a great pace and a fantastic overtake at the finish, but it was a one-stop that actually did not materialise."
It served as a subtle but important reminder that Sainz's calm execution and Williams's race-day form remain good, even though Williams might not have performed well in qualifying.
Qualifying Issues: Tyres or Car?
Even with his impressive recovery effort, Sainz was frank about the cause of Williams' qualifying issues. Although tyre warm-up problems are frequently cited, the Spaniard thinks the issue is more deeply rooted in the car's architecture.
"I believe that a P7 or P8 would have been the perfect weekend. In actuality, we had a lot of pace during the race," he clarified.
Once more, it is possible that we could have been confused with [Andrea Kimi] Antonelli in Baku if we had begun close to him.
However, the truth is that we are attempting to strengthen our qualifying area of weakness. We continue to criticise the preparation of the tyres.
After a few races, and as I learn more about the car, I feel that it is a weakness of the vehicle rather than a weakness of turning the tyre on and off.
And most likely, that quality flaw is what gives us the advantage in the race and allows us to complete 50 laps on a medium.
You can not have it all, therefore. To put ourselves in a better position for Sundays, we simply need to reverse-engineer the car a little.
His analysis highlights a difficult trade-off: the FW47's single-lap potential may be hampered by the same traits that make it such a competitive race vehicle.
A Group That Is Still Changing
Williams had several setbacks in Singapore besides the rear-wing error. The team's difficulties were exacerbated by Sainz's individual qualifying lap mistakes and Albon's FP1 brake problem.
The latter, however, stayed tactful and prioritised development above resentment.
"Is there any animosity between any of us?" he continued. "I believe the team recognises that we continue to make mistakes in these types of situations that might occur.
We are working to improve as a team this year, and yesterday was undoubtedly a mistake for all of us. We lost a Q3 because of my blunders in my qualifying lap. Regarding the legality of the rear wing on both vehicles, the crew made a mistake. An error with the brakes in FP1 involving Alex [Albon].
As long as we do not make the same mistakes twice and keep learning, you know that we are all still making mistakes. I believe that is the key for us.
Sainz's tenacity and frank observations give promise as Williams develops more. The FW47's race-day skills might give the Grove team a consistent challenger for points if they can solve their qualifying puzzle.
For the time being, Sainz's Singapore point serves as a reminder that this team is capable of fighting even from the back.
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
