F1 Las Vegas GP: why Williams could shine with unexpected advantage. Williams could turn a recent weakness into a strength at the Las Vegas GP.

F1 | One team could surprise in Las Vegas: encouraging signs from the paddock

The Las Vegas Grand Prix could bring an unexpected twist in the midfield battle. Carlos Sainz, following a challenging weekend in Interlagos, painted an intriguing picture: a weakness that has hindered Williams in recent races might become a key strength on the Las Vegas Strip circuit.

In Brazil, the former Ferrari driver finished thirteenth after an early collision with Lewis Hamilton, while teammate Alex Albon narrowly missed the points. Sainz clearly explained where the main limitation of the FW47 currently lies: “For me, it is crucial to understand how to continue improving our performance in medium-to-slow corners. This is always what compromises us the most,” he told the media.

The point, however, is that Las Vegas offers radically different conditions. The Brazilian track demands efficiency in medium-to-fast corners, while the Strip features very long straights, heavy braking zones, and very few sustained corners. “Fortunately, the next race is Vegas, which is completely the opposite,” Carlos Sainz said with a smile that hinted at optimism for the weekend.

A real chance to change momentum

Williams has not scored points in the last three races, yet the team remains fifth in the Constructors’ Championship with 111 points, holding a 29-point lead over Racing Bulls. This represents one of the team’s best seasons in the last decade.

The challenge is that after Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi await — two circuits where the current characteristics of the FW47 could again penalize the team. This is why Carlos Sainz emphasizes the need for rapid improvements. “Cars that perform well here will struggle more in Vegas, and vice versa,” he added. He also sent a clear message to the team: “We need to fix what compromises us now and what will compromise us in Qatar. We are determined to work until the very end.”

With three races remaining, Las Vegas represents a genuine opportunity for Williams to return to the points and consolidate a historic result.