Carlos Sainz admits tough start at Williams: “A shock for everyone”. Carlos Sainz has spoken openly about Williams’ difficult start to the season .

Carlos Sainz has returned to speak about the difficulties he is facing behind the wheel of the FW48. It has been a truly disappointing start for Williams, partly due to less-than-ideal work carried out over the winter, which has significantly affected the car’s on-track performance. Understanding and adapting to the new regulations has been a challenge for many teams, but the Grove-based outfit is certainly among those that have lost the most ground.

Compared to 2025, the drop in performance is very clear: “It has certainly been a shock for me, for the team, for James [Vowles, Team Principal], for Alex and for all the engineers,” the Spaniard said. “I think it is no secret that it has been a difficult period. I already started preparing myself for the impact back in December, because we had already begun talking about delays; about not arriving at the first test and about the car being overweight.”

Working to get back to the top

Carlos Sainz went on to say that he is ready to work hard alongside the team to solve the issues, even though it will take time to recover competitiveness.

“Not all roads to success are linear. It was inevitable that we would run into obstacles. This one is a big one, probably even bigger than I expected,” he concluded.

Carlos Sainz’s move to Williams has therefore immediately met the harsh reality of the 2026 regulatory transition. While the Spaniard was brought in to lead the team back toward the front of the midfield, the technical hurdles surrounding the FW48’s weight and development cycle have created a steeper mountain to climb than initially anticipated. However, Sainz’s transparency about the “shock” within the garage shows a driver who is grounded in reality and ready to tackle the engineering challenges ahead. As James Vowles continues to restructure the team for the long term, the patience of a driver of Carlos Sainz’s caliber will be the most valuable asset Williams possesses. For the fans, seeing a talent like Carlos fighting at the back of the grid is a tough pill to swallow, but his determination to turn the tide suggests that Grove’s story in this new era is far from over.