Daily News 19

Tag: Audi F1

  • Williams Criticized for ‘overpromising and underdelivering’ Amid 2026 F1 Struggles

    Williams Criticized for ‘overpromising and underdelivering’ Amid 2026 F1 Struggles

    Formula 1 broadcaster Will Buxton has criticised Williams for “overpromising and underdelivering” during the 2026 season, while admitting he remains surprised that Carlos Sainz chose the Grove-based team over Audi.

    Williams struggles after ambitious 2025 claims

    Williams made bold statements throughout 2025, but its campaign has fallen well short of expectations. The team arrived at pre-season testing in Bahrain on the back foot after missing private testing in Barcelona, and it has since battled significant problems with an overweight car.

    After 12 rounds, Williams sits ninth in the constructors’ championship with 11 points. Sainz and Alex Albon are 16th and 17th in the drivers’ standings, with six and five points respectively.

    The team’s difficult season was compounded at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, where the two Williams drivers collided. Albon was forced to retire, while Sainz received a 10-second penalty.

    Buxton compares Williams with Audi

    Speaking on the Up To Speed podcast, Buxton compared Williams with Audi, which joined the Formula 1 grid as a works team in 2026 after taking over Sauber.

    Sainz had held talks with Audi after losing his Ferrari seat to Lewis Hamilton, but ultimately chose Williams for the 2025 season.

    “There’s an interesting difference in mindset and philosophy between Williams and Audi. When you look at the two places that Carlos could have ended up, you might have expected Audi to turn up with great fanfare, and yet I feel that they’ve been quite understated and have kind of underpromised and overdelivered,” Buxton explained.

    “Whereas Williams keep making the big statements of, ‘We’re going to take these steps up; we want to be fighting for X, Y and Z, and this is going to be a great year for us,’ and then it disappoints. So they overpromise and underdeliver. 

    “I did find it interesting back when Carlos signed for Williams, and he had that option of going to Audi. I found it really interesting that you would turn down a factory seat over the dream that is Williams, and obviously James Vowles sold him a brilliant dream.”

    Source: www.motorsport.com

  • Carlos Sainz Denies Audi F1 Talks for 2027: ‘I never considered leaving Williams’

    Carlos Sainz Denies Audi F1 Talks for 2027: ‘I never considered leaving Williams’

    Carlos Sainz says he never considered leaving Williams despite the team’s difficult start to the 2026 Formula 1 season. The Spaniard signed a new contract alongside team-mate Alexander Albon last week, committing his future to the Grove-based team.

    Williams, a nine-time constructors’ championship winner, has struggled so far this season. The FW48 has slipped down the competitive order and failed to score points in the last six races. The downturn had led team principal James Vowles to question whether he could retain his current driver line-up.

    Sainz dismisses Audi links

    Sainz held discussions with Williams and the future Audi team after losing his Ferrari seat ahead of the 2025 season, eventually choosing the Grove-based outfit. Two years later, reports linked him with a potential move to Audi for 2027, although there was no clear vacancy at the Hinwil-based team.

    However, Sainz told Motorsport.com that he had not seriously considered such a move.

    “No, it was just the usual paddock rumours,” he said in our exclusive interview. “I can confirm that this year I never seriously considered going anywhere else.”

    Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Team, Carlos Sainz, Williams

    Unlike Albon, who has committed to Williams for 2027 only, Sainz signed a “multi-year contract”. The wording suggests the agreement runs at least until 2028, although such language is also commonly used for contracts containing options for subsequent seasons.

    Why Sainz stayed with Williams

    Asked whether the new agreement meant he was no longer available to Formula 1’s leading teams, Sainz gave an indirect response.

    “The usual process is that, before signing a contract, you always assess the overall situation,” he said. “But when we put everything on the table, another aspect emerged that is very important to me: I’ve never liked leaving a team when it’s going through a difficult period.

    “It’s not in my character to go somewhere else if the situation has become worse since I joined the team. When I committed to the Williams project, I knew there could be difficult moments and, even though the one we’re going through now is particularly tough, I’m ready to accept it.

    “Nobody in the team is happy with the current situation, and we’re all pushing to change it as quickly as possible. But, as I said, it’s not in my nature to abandon ship when things get tough.”