Carlos Sainz Criticizes Williams' Bad Trend at Silverstone

**Carlos Sainz** warned on 6 July 2026 that Williams' recent upgrades are failing to deliver the expected performance at the British Grand Prix, describing the situation as "concerning and frustrating" after qualifying 15th.

During the British Grand Prix weekend, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz qualified 15th while teammate Alex Albon started 16th. Williams introduced a new front wing, yet Sainz observed no measurable lap‑time improvement. He noted that Alpine and Audi were simply faster throughout the session, leaving Ferrari unable to defend positions despite a strong start.

Sainz explained that the team’s weight‑saving measures have not closed the gap to the front‑running cars. He said the gap to the midfield leader is widening, and the car is not translating wind‑tunnel data into on‑track speed. The driver emphasized that repeated patterns of losing positions after good starts are eroding morale.

Ferrari relies on consistent midfield performance to support its championship bid. Sainz’s frustration signals potential strategic shifts, as he plans to work closely with engineers at the factory to pinpoint development flaws. The lack of progress could force Ferrari to allocate more resources to counteract Williams’ stagnation.

Williams is set to debut a "B‑spec" car in Baku after the summer break, though Sainz doubts its immediate impact. Meanwhile, Ferrari will analyse the data from Silverstone, aiming to extract any advantage before the next race. Both teams face pressure to deliver upgrades that translate into tangible lap‑time gains.

In the race, Sainz started from 15th, fought off early pressure, but eventually fell back as Alpine and Audi continued to dominate. He finished outside the points, reinforcing his concerns about the car’s development trajectory.

Sainz promised to return to the factory with renewed focus, stating he will smile again once the team identifies the underlying issues. He remains committed to helping Ferrari find the performance edge needed to stay competitive in the 2026 season.