Williams endured another difficult Formula 1 weekend at Sepang despite a promising start from both Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon. Carlos Sainz eventually finished 17th after being hit by Gabriel Bortoleto, while Alex Albon retired late in the race following a gearbox failure.
The Malaysian Grand Prix initially offered Williams reasons for optimism, but the strong opening phase proved short-lived. Both drivers were drawn into a complicated race that ultimately ended with another disappointing overall result for a team that has struggled for consistency during the 2026 season.
Carlos Sainz drops from sixth after Gabriel Bortoleto contact
Carlos Sainz made an excellent start and climbed as high as sixth place, putting himself on the fringes of the top five. His race was then compromised when Gabriel Bortoleto made an unsuccessful overtaking attempt and sent the Spaniard into a spin.
From that point, Carlos Sainz faced a difficult recovery drive and could manage only 17th place at the chequered flag.
“We did everything right at the start, managing to climb up to sixth position. Unfortunately, after being hit at the first restart, I quickly lost ground and it was very difficult for us to recover.
“It’s a shame because we had the opportunity to bring home a good result. We also need to analyse our race management and make sure we have a better weekend overall next week in Singapore. We’ll try to bounce back and keep pushing.”
The result was another setback during a season in which Williams has already searched for substantial improvements, including an extensive upgrade programme introduced around Baku.
Alex Albon’s race ends with gearbox failure
Intermediate tyres also appeared to reward Alex Albon during the opening stages. After choosing the correct tyre as conditions changed, he became involved in the fight at the front of the midfield before later returning to the pits twice during the race.
The situation became increasingly difficult as the circuit dried. A flat spot on his Soft tyre forced Alex Albon to make an earlier-than-planned pit stop, while a series of technical problems eventually ended his race only a few laps from the finish.
His retirement triggered the Safety Car that subsequently played an important role in reshaping the final order.
“A complicated race. At the start we had the right tyre and the decision to switch to intermediates proved to be the correct one; it was nice to be right in the middle of the fight during the opening stages.
“Then the track dried and we lost a little ground. The double pit stop didn’t help and, because of a flat spot on the Soft tyre, we had to pit earlier than expected.
“We had several problems during the race, including brake issues and a gearbox failure that ended our race. It’s a shame, but at the moment we’re lacking overall performance and that’s exactly what we’re focusing on most in our post-race analysis.
“We just want a straightforward weekend and the feeling that we’re making progress; we’ll keep working to achieve that. I’m looking forward to Singapore, another home race for me, and hopefully we can fight towards the higher positions in the midfield.”
Williams looks for cleaner Singapore weekend
Sepang therefore became another missed opportunity for Williams after both cars showed encouraging signs early in the race. The team has already used previous events to gather extensive technical information, including an unusual testing programme with Alex Albon during the Japanese Grand Prix, but translating that work into consistent race results remains the priority.
Carlos Sainz believes Williams must review its race management, while Alex Albon highlighted a broader lack of performance alongside the technical problems that affected his car. Their next opportunity comes in Singapore as the 2026 Formula 1 season continues.
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