HOW CARLOS SAINZ "SMELLED" WILLIAMS’ 2026 F1 STRUGGLES ARRIVING MONTHS BEFORE THE START
Williams F1 is struggling in 2026. Carlos Sainz reveals he saw the "painful" slump coming early. Discover why the car is overweight.
The start of the year has been tough for Williams, as they’ve found themselves struggling near the back of the F1 pack.
Carlos Sainz has shared that he sensed these difficulties even before the new season kicked off, especially with all the changes introduced by the fresh technical rules.
This year, the cars saw significant shifts both in power units and aerodynamics, which Williams had hoped would offer a chance to move up from last year’s fifth place in the standings.
Unfortunately, they missed the initial shakedown test and have been dealing with a heavier car than expected, which has held them back in the rankings.
Sainz admits that the extent of the challenges took the team by surprise.
“For sure, it’s been a shock for me, the team, James, Alex, and all the engineers,” he told various media outlets, including RacingNews365.
“It’s no secret that it’s been tough. I actually started to sense it back in December or January.
“I was bracing myself because we began hearing about delays, missing that first test, and then the overweight figures came up. It just didn’t look promising right from the start.”
Right now, Williams sits ninth after three races, with Sainz grabbing two points at the Chinese Grand Prix.
Though they’re far from competing with the front runners, Sainz believes the team can work their way out of this slump.
“From the moment the bump hit, I knew Williams would face some rough patches,” he said.
“Success rarely follows a straight path, so hitting a bump was expected. But this one is bigger than I thought.
“It really comes down to resilience – how the team recovers from this.
“If this setback helps expose and fix the deeper issues the team had, whether in production, design, or managing overweight chassis and parts, then it might actually trigger a big leap forward.
“For me, it’s about watching how we bounce back from something more serious than anyone had anticipated.”
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.
LEWIS HAMILTON DEMANDS IMMEDIATE FERRARI ENGINE UPGRADE FOLLOWING SIXTH-PLACE MIAMI FINISH
Discover why Lewis Hamilton wants to abandon Ferrari's simulator while pushing the FIA for crucial engine development freedom.
We really need an engine upgrade. Right now, it’s nearly impossible for us to keep up with Red Bull and Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton said after the Miami race.
They both have a huge edge over us, but honestly, the rest of our car might be the best out there. Fix this engine issue, and we’ll have a real shot at fighting for wins.
This comes as the FIA is about to decide which manufacturers get extra development freedom under the ADUO rules. Toto Wolff wants only Honda to get that, but Hamilton thinks Ferrari should be included, too.
Even though Ferrari rolled out major upgrades in Miami, Hamilton said the others made bigger strides.
The team put a lot of effort into these changes; it’s progress, but everyone else moved forward as well, he said.
I heard McLaren’s updates actually worked better than expected. We didn’t see that kind of jump. Mercedes, McLaren, and Red Bull approach the front wing differently from us. Just look at their design compared to ours; it’s clearly not the same. I don’t know if that’s the key difference, but I want to understand what their concept does.
On the track, the results were disappointing.
Finishing sixth doesn’t sit well with me, Hamilton admitted. That’s not where I want to be.
He also brought up issues with Ferrari’s simulator.
To be honest, I feel like the simulator is pushing me the wrong way, Hamilton said. Maybe it’s time to set it aside, at least for now.
Charles Leclerc, his teammate, looked faster and almost made the podium, but a late spin cost him big.
Team principal Frederic Vasseur doesn’t think the engine is the whole story behind Ferrari’s struggles.
It's about the whole package, not only the engine, he said.
We need to improve everything. The fight for the title can last until the final race. What matters is having the speed to go for wins.
Yes, there are issues, but we know what needs fixing.
