Sainz doubts Williams will join leaders in 2026 but ‘we’ll get there’

Carlos Sainz has been encouraged by Williams’ upward trajectory in 2025, but the Spaniard doesn’t believe his team will be ready to challenge Formula 1’s front-runners when the sport resets with new regulations in 2026.

Now in his first season with the once-dominant British outfit, Sainz is embracing the rebuild – but insists patience will be crucial.

Despite the team’s strides – top-ten qualifying results in all but two races and points scored in seven events – Sainz emphasizes the need for organizational growth to match their on-track ambitions.

A Realistic View on 2026 Challenges

With new chassis and power unit regulations set to reshape the F1 grid in 2026, Sainz tempers expectations about Williams’ readiness to become a force to be reckoned with at the front of the grid.

“I don’t think we’ll be ready next year,” he stated candidly in Barcelona, quoted by Motorsport.com.

“It would be fantastic to take another step forward, because that would mean being with the top teams.

“But my experience at Ferrari also taught me that it’s one thing to be in the group, another to actually beat the front-runners.”

“We’ll get there”

The Spaniard’s time at the Scuderia, where he fought among the elite, informs his understanding of the gap between contention and dominance.

However, Williams’ 2025 performances offer promising signs, with the team recently holding their own against powerhouses like Mercedes and Ferrari in qualifying.

“This year we’re getting a first taste—in some qualifying sessions, we’ve been able to fight on par with Mercedes and Ferrari, and that wasn’t a given,” Sainz notes.

“Then we made mistakes that cost us a lot of points, which proves that a team’s growth isn’t just about the car—the whole organization has to grow, and I think James is the right person for that,” he adds.

Sainz sees these missteps as part of the process, adding: “I believe we’ll get there, so in a way it’s better to accept a few mistakes this season—since we don’t yet have a car that allows us to fight for the biggest goals.”

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Reflecting on his stint at McLaren earlier in his F1 career, Sainz sees echoes of team papaya’s remarkable transformation at Williams.

“At Williams, I found very capable people across the board,” he explained. “I remember when I joined McLaren, Andrea Stella and Peter Prodromou were there – maybe not yet in the roles they have today – but their profiles and ability were already very clear.”

While the lure of Ferrari proved too strong to resist, Sainz always believed McLaren would rise again.

“When Ferrari came calling, I didn’t hesitate – it’s Ferrari – but I knew McLaren was going to grow. I still bump into Andrea in the paddock and I always tell him: ‘It’s great to see what you guys have achieved’.

“Even though I left just when they were starting to move forward, I have great memories,” he concluded.

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