Phoenix 24
Repeated off-track moments damaged key parts of his Williams, forcing the Spaniard to continue the Dutch Grand Prix weekend with less competitive components.
ZANDVOORT, NETHERLANDS.— Carlos Sainz endured a deeply frustrating opening day at the Dutch Grand Prix after damaging his car and being eliminated in the first phase of Sprint Qualifying. The Williams driver finished 18th, only 0.120 seconds away from advancing to SQ2. His result was especially disappointing because he believed some of his laps had been strong enough to progress.
Sainz ran off the circuit several times during the weekend’s only practice session, including two incidents at the tight Hans Ernst corner. Those excursions damaged parts of the floor and front wing, reducing the car’s performance before the competitive sessions had properly begun. Williams repaired the vehicle, but some of the preferred components were no longer available.
“We damaged quite a few parts, and for the rest of the weekend I will have to use components that are not as good,” Sainz explained. The setback is particularly costly during a Sprint weekend, when teams have limited practice time to understand the car and refine its setup. Starting near the back also leaves him with a difficult recovery task on a narrow circuit where overtaking is notoriously challenging.
The result adds pressure to a Williams project that has struggled to meet expectations during the 2026 season despite retaining Sainz and Alex Albon beyond the current campaign. Sainz must now use the Sprint to gather information and rebuild confidence before the qualifying session that will determine Sunday’s starting grid. At Zandvoort, one difficult practice did more than damage a car—it narrowed the possibilities for an entire weekend.
Phoenix24 — Periodismo independiente para un mundo en transformación.
Phoenix24 — Independent journalism for a changing world.