Sainz Urges Williams to Push Beyond “Satisfactory” Miami Double Points Finish

Williams Racing finally achieved their first double points finish of the 2026 season at the Miami Grand Prix, but Carlos Sainz has made it clear that the team’s ambitions lie far beyond the lower reaches of the top ten. Despite the milestone, the Spaniard remains focused on a recovery mission following a sluggish start to the new regulatory era that has left the Grove-based outfit trailing their preseason targets.

Expectations were high for Williams heading into this year, especially after a strong fifth-place finish in the 2025 Constructors’ Championship. However, the team have struggled with an overweight chassis, which hindered their performance in the opening three rounds. Prior to Miami, their only points had come from Sainz’s ninth-place finish in China, a race where his teammate, Alex Albon, was unable to even make the start.

In Miami, Sainz managed to equal his best result of the year by finishing ninth after a hard-fought 57 laps. His race was far from straightforward; despite a strong initial launch, a chaotic opening lap forced him to drop back and fight his way through the field. While he was pleased with the car’s underlying pace, noting that Williams were clearly faster than the core midfield and nearly on par with Alpine, Sainz emphasized that fighting for single points is not the standard the team set for themselves.

The Spanish driver pointed out that while the weekend represented a massive leap forward in terms of operational execution, the car’s current ceiling is still below their capabilities. He credited the team’s hard work for allowing both cars to score points but warned that they must continue to “dig deep” to unlock more performance. With a significant portion of the season still ahead, Sainz expressed confidence that Williams have the infrastructure and talent to move back toward the front of the grid as they refine their 2026 challenger.