Sainz says Williams still ‘failing’ but aims to rebound by season’s end

Carlos Sainz admitted Williams is still “failing” in key areas needed for a genuine front‑running car. After a “very tough” winter that forced the team to skip its private shakedown in Barcelona, he remains confident the FW48 can regain its 2025 form by season’s end. He warned real‑world performance won’t be clear until full‑fuel runs in Australia push the engines to their limits.

Why it matters:

• A fifth‑place Constructors finish with 137 points last year surprised many and hinted at a possible mid‑field reshuffle.
• If Williams cannot close its development gap, the team risks slipping back into the lower tier, hurting sponsor exposure and driver market.

The details:

• Season performance – Sainz grabbed two podiums, a sprint top‑three and helped Williams finish fifth with 137 points.
• Testing – The team missed the Barcelona shakedown but logged 748 laps over six days at Bahrain.
• Car issues – The FW48 may be over the 768 kg minimum and still “failing” in two to three key areas such as chassis‑engine integration.
• Regulation reset – The new aero package was meant to close the gap, yet better‑prepared rivals have already surged ahead, leaving Williams playing catch‑up.

What’s next:

Sainz expects a steep development curve, promising to improve the car “in every way” throughout the year. The goal is to be at least on par with last season’s performance by the final race, turning lessons from a tough winter into a competitive package for the rest of 2024.