Sainz Thrives at Williams as Team Aims for Midfield Dominance

MELBOURNE, Australia — Carlos Sainz expressed his satisfaction after qualifying in the top 10 for the Australian Grand Prix on Saturday, reinforcing his decision to join Williams following his departure from Ferrari. Sainz and teammate Alex Albon both secured positions in the top 10, showcasing the team’s hope for a stronger performance this season.

Last year, Williams finished ninth in the constructors’ championship, but the team aims to be the best among the midfield competitors after demonstrating improvements during the preseason testing period. Sainz, a two-time race winner with Ferrari, opted for Williams instead of joining the last-placed Sauber team, which will become Audi‘s official factory outfit in 2026.

“Very happy, very proud of the whole team, the way we’ve managed to progress through the winter and put together a car that is allowing us to be in Q3 for the first time in many years with both cars. I think it’s great,” the 30-year-old driver stated. “And it can only get better because I have so much more potential to unlock as soon as I understand how to extract lap time in Q3.”

Sainz acknowledged challenges he faced during qualifying, admitting he made several mistakes in Q3 that hindered his performance. He sees room for improvement, stating, “I was pretty strong in testing on the weekend, but clearly when it came to Q3, I didn’t know where to find the lap time.” When asked if Williams’ performance vindicated his choice to join the team, Sainz replied, “Yeah, definitely. Might be how it’s meant to be, and now it’s a matter of working hard because I see a lot of potential in this team.”

Alex Albon, who had a troublesome experience during last year’s race at Albert Park, is optimistic about his chances this season. He completed the qualifying session in 11th place during his previous outing, missing the chance to score points. “We were fighting for points in previous years but… this year it feels like we should be able to score points in every race,” Albon shared. He emphasized the competitive nature of the upcoming races, noting, “It will be a dogfight between RB [Racing Bulls], Alpine. I think every weekend is going to be split by a tenth [of a second] and that’s it. It’s motivating for all of us.”

Looking ahead to the race, Albon is preparing for potentially challenging conditions with rain in the forecast. “No one’s driven on the inters [intermediate tyres] or the wets. Good luck to the rookies,” he said while anticipating chaotic circumstances. “Let’s see, anything can happen. I’m hoping for a fairly safe race but there is going to be carnage for sure.”