It is fitting that the Miami Grand Prix featured a notable clash between Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton in the closing moments of the race, as both drivers found themselves in similar predicaments throughout the event. While Hamilton’s criticisms directed at his team over the radio received considerable attention, Sainz’s frustrations were somewhat overlooked amid the chaos.
After the race, Sainz expressed his displeasure, saying, “If I’m told via radio that I won’t be attacked, and we’re meant to push together, then being overtaken makes me feel foolish and powerless as a driver.” He reflected on his previous experience in Jeddah, where he had taken a measured approach to help his teammate Alex Albon by allowing him to use DRS to avoid being overtaken. In that situation, Sainz felt equally disheartened when he was overtaken, leading him to question the effectiveness of his strategy.
The immediate trigger for Sainz’s frustration was Albon passing him, despite their team being under the impression that they were instructed to maintain their positions. However, the root of the issue reached back a day earlier. Sainz had encountered “operational issues” when his team fitted him with a set of new medium tires during a chaotic sprint race characterized by wet and dry conditions. Unfortunately, he compromised this set of tires by hitting the wall while chasing Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin in the final laps.
During the Miami Grand Prix, Williams celebrated its best qualifying result in recent memory, with Sainz starting in sixth and Albon in seventh. However, Sainz faced a significant disadvantage as Albon still had a fresh set of medium tires available for the race start. This situation worsened when Sainz inadvertently made contact with Albon’s right rear tire shortly after the race began, while trying to avoid Lando Norris, who had re-entered the track at Turn 2.
Albon managed to move ahead without apparent damage, as confirmed by team photographs taken during a Virtual Safety Car (VSC) period. In contrast, Sainz sustained considerable damage to the left edge of his car’s floor, resulting in a notable reduction in downforce. His engineer, Gaetan Jego, reminded him over the radio, “Remember what we discussed this morning, second car,” indicating a predetermined plan to hold position after the first lap.
Nonetheless, Albon began to struggle after the VSC incident, and Sainz was able to overtake him with the help of DRS into Turn 11 on lap five. Despite this, Sainz quickly found himself caught behind George Russell, who had started on hard tires and was struggling for grip. Feeling that defending against his teammate was hindering his progress, Sainz urged his team to allow them to race freely. “Let’s push forward, guys,” he communicated over the radio. “We’re slowing each other down here. Let’s find our pace.”
Simultaneously, Albon was communicating with his engineer, James Urwin, expressing that Sainz should let him pass for the sake of efficiency. “What’s the plan here? We’re just losing time,” Albon stated. On lap 14, Urwin informed Albon about managing a water pressure issue while he passed Sainz using DRS into Turn 11, just after Jego had informed Sainz that Albon had been instructed to hold back. Sainz quickly voiced his frustration, stating, “You told me he was instructed.”
Jego’s response to Sainz’s complaints was, “Let’s be the bigger one, OK?” after further back-and-forth discussions. Tensions continued when Sainz felt his team instructed him to drop back too far while he was defending against Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari. Although he complied after inadvertently cutting the chicane, he was asked to lose additional time, which he thought was unnecessary.
As the race progressed, Sainz lost positions to both Leclerc and Hamilton following the last VSC period. This series of events likely contributed to his risky attempt to pass Hamilton at the race’s conclusion. Ultimately, Albon finished fifth, while Sainz crossed the line in ninth, which only fueled his disappointment.
In a post-race conversation, Jego acknowledged the team’s expectations for a better finish but noted that it was still a solid race filled with lessons learned. In response, Sainz expressed his frustration, stating, “That’s not how I race, guys. I’ve lost a lot of confidence in everything here.” This prompted a response from team principal James Vowles, who recognized Sainz’s concerns. “Noted, Carlos. We will discuss this further, but great job on securing points. You had damage to the car, and we’ll go over that.”
After the race, Albon confirmed he was not informed to hold back until he was already in the process of overtaking Sainz. This lack of communication is concerning, especially since Williams is shifting its focus to developing its 2026 car, which may limit opportunities for scoring points in future races.
Reflecting on the race, Sainz commented, “I genuinely believe that with a new tire and no damage, I could have been in the fight for P5, given our starting position.” He expressed disappointment in not being able to fully capitalize on the car’s performance and emphasized the need to address the operational mistakes made during the race. “We will review this and figure out how to improve because when we have a competitive car again, I want to be the one to make the most of it.”
In summary, the Miami Grand Prix was marked by strategic miscommunications and operational challenges for Carlos Sainz and Williams. As they move forward, the team must learn from these experiences to enhance their performance and capitalize on the potential of their racecar in future events.
