Williams returned to the points at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Carlos Sainz fought from 14th on the grid to finish 10th in Baku. It was the Grove team’s first top-10 result since Monaco and provided an encouraging indication that the latest FW48 upgrades are moving the car in the right direction.
The weekend was not without frustration, however. Alex Albon crashed into the barriers during the race, triggering a Safety Car and ending his afternoon, while Carlos Sainz was left to salvage the final championship point available.
Carlos Sainz delivers Williams’ first point since Monaco
If Williams wanted to look at the glass as half empty after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Alex Albon’s impact with the barriers on Lap 29 appeared at first to be another sign that the team was heading towards a race outside the points. Instead, Carlos Sainz ensured Williams returned to the top 10 after a lengthy absence.
The Spaniard has traditionally enjoyed street circuits and had already finished third in Baku in 2025. This time, Carlos Sainz made the most of the incidents during the race, recovering from 14th on the grid to take 10th place at the chequered flag.
The result allowed Williams to reduce its deficit to Audi in the Constructors’ Championship and marked the team’s first points since Monaco, where Alex Albon finished eighth. Carlos Sainz’s longer-term future with the team is already secure after extending his Williams contract beyond 2027.
“I’m happy to have scored a point after yesterday’s penalty and I think the team deserved it,” Carlos Sainz said. “It was a difficult race, but we managed the restart after the Safety Car and the tyres well, and we managed to get into the points towards the end.
“These upgrades are a good sign of progress, but we know we will still need a little more to score points consistently. Hopefully we can have a bit more fun fighting in the midfield in the remaining races.”
Williams upgrades move FW48 into midfield fight
Beyond the single point itself, the most encouraging aspect for Williams was the performance of its upgraded package. Both drivers felt the changes represented a meaningful step forward, potentially allowing the team to become a more regular factor in the midfield battle.
That progress matters as Williams attempts to improve its position in the championship during the final phase of the season, with every point potentially significant in the 2026 Formula 1 standings.
Alex Albon explains unusual Baku crash
Alex Albon had started further up the grid than his team-mate, but his race ended after a collision with the barriers. The British-born Williams driver admitted he could not immediately explain exactly why the incident developed as dramatically as it did.
“It was a strange accident, to be honest. I braked a little later than on the previous lap and a strong gust of wind caught us a little by surprise. When I had that moment, I thought I was going to lock up and run a little wide; I never imagined I would end up in the wall. We will analyse the data.
“As for the upgrade, I think it represents exactly the step forward we expected: it has put us into the midfield fight. If we think back to the start of the year, the car was behind schedule and overweight. We had to launch a project to build a new chassis, delivering it on time and meeting the weight limit: a huge difference compared with eight months ago.
“Hopefully this marks a turning point and we can deepen our understanding of this upgrade in Malaysia.”
Williams hopes Baku marks a turning point
The contrasting fortunes of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon therefore produced a mixed but ultimately encouraging Azerbaijan Grand Prix for Williams. One car was lost to the barriers, but the other returned the team to the points after more than three months without a top-10 finish.
More importantly, both drivers came away encouraged by the new package. Carlos Sainz believes Williams still needs another step before points become a regular expectation, while Alex Albon sees the upgrade as confirmation that the FW48 has finally joined the midfield battle.
Malaysia will now provide the next opportunity to determine whether the progress seen in Baku can be reproduced on a very different circuit.
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