Carlos Sainz said the Williams B‑spec will probably fall short of providing the one‑second lap advantage needed to earn points in 2026.
Williams stalls behind the leaders
After missing private testing in Barcelona and arriving at Bahrain pre‑season underweight, the Grove outfit has struggled to keep pace. The overweight car left Sainz and Alex Albon fighting complacent points at every opportunity.
Careful recalibrations for the Miami Grand Prix trimmed weight and lifted the team to eighth in the constructors’ standings with 11 points, but the gaps widened: a full two seconds off Mercedes, a single second lagging VCARB, and four–five tenths behind McLaren after a fourth‑place season in 2025.
Upgrade timeline and realism
Team chief James Vowles indicated a sizeable upgrade package would arrive around the Azerbaijan round, aiming to give both drivers a credible points‑chasing platform.
Nevertheless, Sainz admits the gains needed are substantial, noting that the current performance makes podium contention unlikely without major changes, perhaps even a winter break to address persistent difficulties.
Next steps for the mid‑field chase
With the season’s second and third quarters to come, Williams must resolve the dry‑cold performance chasm to re‑enter the midfield battle. Failure to bridge this gap means even the most unlikely race outcomes will still leave the team outside points.
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