Sainz explains decision to stay with Williams despite difficult season
Carlos Sainz has explained why he chose to continue his career with Williams despite a challenging 2026 season. Teammate Alex Albon also confirmed he will remain with the team for the 2027 season.
Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz has revealed why he decided to continue racing for Williams, even though the 2026 season has proven difficult for the team. The FW48, built under new technical regulations, has shown various issues, including excessive weight.
Relationships and working environment
Sainz said one of the things he values most is having direct, honest relationships within the team. He noted that since joining Williams, he has experienced this approach not only with team principal James Vowles and the rest of the leadership and board members, but also with people throughout the organization. The Spanish driver emphasized that progress requires transparency and honesty, along with a working environment where everyone is willing to take responsibility for their actions in order to improve.
Belief in the team's future
Sainz expressed confidence that the people at Williams have the talent, motivation and passion needed to bring the team back to the top. He described this as one of the main reasons for staying and continuing to move forward with the team.
Albon's decision
Teammate Alex Albon also announced his decision to remain with Williams for the 2027 season, despite this year's struggles and reduced pace on track. He stressed that one difficult year does not reflect the full story of his time with the team, saying he has seen progress year after year. Albon also noted that the tough period has pushed the team to accelerate solutions to problems that have affected the car for years, adding that the factory's response and effort to understand these issues have been substantial.
