For the first time in the 2026 Formula 1 season, the Williams team based in Grove completed a race with both drivers finishing inside the top 10 at the Miami Grand Prix. This marked a significant milestone for the team, which has been working to improve the competitiveness of the FW48 throughout the early part of the season.
The start of the season had raised several concerns about the overall performance level of the Williams FW48, which had only managed to score points once before Miami, during the Chinese Grand Prix with Carlos Sainz. The Spanish driver once again delivered for the team in Miami, finishing in 9th position, while Alex Albon also contributed strongly by finishing just behind his teammate in the final classification. This double points result represented a clear step forward in performance and execution for the British-based squad.
This double top-10 finish allowed Williams, a team that has recently strengthened its technical structure by hiring two engineers from Mercedes, to reach 5 points in the Constructors’ Championship standings. As a result, Williams moved ahead of Audi, which endured a particularly difficult and disappointing weekend in Miami.
“Another very solid Sunday,” said Carlos Sainz. “I had a very good start and managed to position myself in the points fight early on. From there, the pace was very strong, the race was well managed, and we found ourselves comfortably in the midfield battle. We made progress during the opening phase, and the team worked very hard to bring this upgrade package to the car. It shows what we can achieve when we focus properly, but we are still far from where we want to be. Our goal is to keep working well and try to score points more regularly.”
Alex Albon was also very satisfied with the overall result, although he emphasized the importance of maintaining focus for the upcoming races: “It has been a difficult start to the season, so it is great to bring home two points finishes, which is an important result for the team. We had a good start and I gained a few positions in the first three laps, and the updates also seem to be working well, allowing us to fight in the midfield pack. There is still room for improvement in terms of performance, and we experimented with different setups throughout the weekend. There is still work to do to fully understand the new package, but we will continue pushing hard. Miami is a circuit that suits us, so now we need to focus on Montreal and try to maximise another Sprint weekend.”
Overall, the Miami Grand Prix represented an important step forward for Williams, confirming that the development direction of the FW48 is beginning to deliver results. While the team acknowledges that there is still a significant gap to the front-running teams, the ability to place both cars in the points demonstrates progress in race execution, upgrade effectiveness, and overall competitiveness within the midfield battle of Formula 1.
This double points finish in Miami marks a significant breakthrough for Williams, proving that their recent technical upgrades and recruitment efforts are beginning to translate into on-track competitiveness. By leapfrogging Audi in the standings, the team has established a solid foundation to build upon as they look to maintain this momentum and secure points more consistently in the upcoming rounds.
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