The internal tension in Williams’ camp is more agitated than it might appear at first glance after the first race in Australia. The arrival of Carlos Sainz at Williams from Ferrari has meant that the team is betting on the Spaniard to lead the new project.
However, his retirement in the first race, together with the lack of adaptation to the new car in such a short time, and the fifth place achieved by Alex Albon in the first race, has generated a debate about who should be the team leader, especially at the start of the championship.
Albon stirs Williams
The influence of Carlos Sainz has been key since his arrival at Williams. For the team, having a driver who comes from Ferrari, who has won races and been in the top positions in the World Championship standings, has served to raise the team’s expectations. And his impact has been felt from the outset, setting the fastest time in practice in Bahrain and getting the most out of the FW47 which was expected to be much better than it has proven to be on the track.
However, the moment of truth came with the first race of the year in Australia and Carlos Sainz was behind Albon in qualifying and retired from the race without completing a single lap, while Albon achieved an important fifth place for the team.
After what happened in Australia, some voices are advocating giving Alexander Albon more privileges in the team. They consider that, as well as knowing the car better, he has enough experience in F1 to be able to lead the team in this new campaign, at least at the beginning. However, the Williams management considers that Carlos Sainz has to be trusted from the outset, as in the long term, his experience and his driving should position him as the team’s main driver.
Carlos Sainz, key to Williams’ strategy
Even if Carlos Sainz was unable to finish the race, his influence was decisive in the decision made at the pit wall. Sainz went to the pit wall and contributed to the decision to make Albon stop in the pits to change to intermediate tyres; at first this created doubts in the team and in the driver himself, but in the end it was decisive.
James Vowles recognized Sainz’s importance at that moment: “Carlos told us that the track was too wet and that we should stop Albon. We hesitated, but in the end we listened to him and it was the right decision.”
Albon did not agree with the tactic but had to accept it; he finally concluded that it was the right decision: “The track was dry in some sectors and it didn’t seem like the best option to me, but in the end it turned out to be the right choice. I’m happy with the result”.
Carlos Sainz’s future at Williams
The Chinese Grand Prix is a good opportunity for Carlos Sainz to show his worth and experience and to put a stop to the rumors that have been generated within the team. The Madrid driver has the support and confidence of the team to lead the project this season and next with the new regulations. We will see how Albon performs and if he has any reason to complain about a rival he has lost out to.