Carlos Sainz revealed that something malfunctioned in his Williams Formula 1 car just before he secured his second podium finish of the season. Sainz delivered an impressive performance in Qatar, holding off late challenges from Lando Norris to claim third place.
During the first pit stop phase under the safety car, Sainz managed to overtake Kimi Antonelli while McLaren blocked Oscar Piastri and Norris from rejoining the track. After Norris made his second pit stop, he found himself behind Sainz and Antonelli once again. However, a mistake by Antonelli allowed Norris to pass him and begin pursuing Sainz in the final laps.
Sainz indicated over team radio that his car was having issues. He explained that in the last 10 laps of the race, the car’s handling and his driving feel changed drastically. “I was pushing flat out because I had conserved my tires to keep Antonelli behind me in the final 10 laps,” he said. Upon learning Norris was about to overtake Antonelli, Sainz focused on increasing his gap to Norris to avoid them battling each other. Then, with five laps remaining, something broke at the front of his car.
He wasn’t sure if it was part of the front wing falling off or debris caught in the tire, but he lost significant front-end grip at both high and medium speeds. In some right turns and even on straights, the steering failed to respond properly. He could turn left normally, but turning right was problematic. This issue allowed Norris to close in during the last two laps, costing Sainz about half a second in race pace. Despite this, Sainz felt the race was controlled and pushed hard, especially since he was racing against many faster cars.
Thanks to Sainz’s performance, Williams has clinched fifth place in the F1 Constructors’ Championship with one race still to go—Williams’ best finish since 2017. Moreover, Sainz became the first Williams driver since Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas in 2015 to score multiple podiums within a season.
Sainz credited the team’s setup improvements from the sprint to the main race for their strong pace. Although qualifying felt better, the sprint race posed challenges with fuel management, car damage, and tire wear. The adjustments made for the race helped him feel confident from the start. He praised the smoothness of their start, strategy, and pit stops, noting that halfway through the race they saw a real chance for a podium and seized the opportunity. Sainz expressed pride in the team’s accomplishment.
Fan Take: This breakthrough for Williams shows the team’s rising competitiveness and resilience, inspiring hope for more exciting underdog moments in F1. It’s a reminder that with strong strategy and determination, teams can defy expectations and shake up the championship standings.
