Sainz flags return of old Williams demon in FW48

Amid the challenges faced by Williams from the outset this season, Carlos Sainz has noted the return of a long-standing technical flaw that has impacted the Grove-based outfit’s cars in the past.

The issue centers on a bizarre vehicle dynamic that creates a terrifying sensation for the drivers. It is a deficiency in inside-front tyre load that effectively makes the car feel as though it is navigating high-speed bends on only three wheels.

Sainz, who first encountered this anomaly upon his arrival at Williams last year, expressed his deep concern over the persistence of this trait.

“Yes, it is actually a comment I gave to the team all the way back in 2025 as soon as I jumped in a Williams,” he told reporters at Suzuka last time out.

“It seemed like the Williams had this vehicle dynamic characteristic that, let’s say, surprised me from the first lap I did in Abu Dhabi, and I had to get my head around it at the beginning of the season, drive around it, set the car up around it, and we managed to obviously get it better and develop it over the last year.”

However, the 2026 regulation – which have seen a general reduction in downforce across the grid – have stripped away the aerodynamic "band-aid" that previously masked the problem. The flaw is no longer just a quirk; it is a main issue.

“But as soon as we changed regs and the downforce of the car came down overall with these new regulations, the problem flared up again, and it’s something we are trying to address, investigate,” Sainz added.

“I think, as drivers, we’ve given very clear directions of when it’s happening, how it’s happening, and what we feel when it’s happening. The team is doing everything they can now to try and understand it, to see what’s embedded into the car that might be creating this phenomenon.”

The race against relative gains

The unexpected April hiatus, following the cancellation of rounds in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, has provided a desperate window for analysis.

While other teams are focusing on pure performance, Williams is stuck in a race to fix its very foundation.

Alex Albon has echoed these worries, noting that while the tyre isn't literally lifting off the tarmac, the lack of a proper contact patch makes the FW48 treacherous to drive, particularly in corners that have historically exposed the team's weaknesses.

For Sainz, the worry isn't just about fixing the "three-wheeling" sensation; it is the fear that even a successful fix might not be enough to catch a disappearing midfield.

The team is currently battling the dual demons of mechanical instability and excessive car weight.

“I expect that the team will do a big, big push over that month to come up with something for Miami that is a good step forward,” Sainz noted, though his optimism was tempered by the harsh reality of Formula 1 development.

“At the same time, in this sport, everything is relative. So you can bring a big step forward, then if the others bring a big step then you haven’t moved forward – you’re still three tenths behind the midfield. So, it’s more about how much of a bigger step forward you bring to the rest of the teams.”

• Read also: Vowles hints at Williams breakthrough… after F1 summer break

As the team prepares for Miami, the pressure is immense.

“I hope that in that case, obviously, we know we have a lot of weight to take out of the car. We have a lot of downforce to add. It will be how much we are able to do for Miami,” Sainz concluded.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook