Williams: Carlos Sainz reveals how plastic on tires ruined Qatar Q3 but stays confident for race. Carlos Sainz faced a challenging Qatar GP qualifying after debris stuck to his tires.

F1 | Sainz reflects on Qatar qualifying amid debris, penalties, and determination

Carlos Sainz experienced a challenging qualifying session at the Qatar Grand Prix, affected by plastic debris stuck to his rear tires during Q3. The contact with the debris also damaged the car’s bodywork, forcing the team to intervene quickly.

“I think we picked up some plastic leaving the pits; the tires were completely covered, and I spent four or five corners trying to get rid of it,” the Spanish driver told Sky Sports F1. “The team managed to repair the car by putting on another piece [of plastic], but I’m not sure if we lost any downforce.”

Despite the issue, Carlos Sainz managed to set a time matching his Q2 performance, 20.2 seconds, repeated several times. “There wasn’t much more margin for me, but I’m happy to be P7, on the clean side of the grid, and ready to fight for a top-six finish tomorrow,” he explained.

The Williams driver will start alongside Fernando Alonso, who qualified eighth, and he has already identified his race target: “One of my best chances is Isack [Hadjar]. We are very similar in race pace; he was a tenth faster today, but in the race we usually catch up a bit. Probably whoever gets ahead into Turn 1 will stay in front, but there are two pit stops to manage, and timing will be crucial.”

Williams was fined €5,000 for releasing the car in unsafe conditions. “The team explained that they had been using this adhesive since mid-season without issues, but ultimately the responsibility lies with the team, and the video showed how the driver struggled significantly to control the car,” the stewards stated.

Starting from the cleaner side of the grid in seventh, Carlos Sainz and Williams will be looking to convert their strong long-run pace into points when the lights go out on Sunday at Lusail International Circuit.