Carlos Sainz almost reaches Q2 in the Austrian GP

Saturday, 27 June 2026:
- Free Practice 3: P17, 1:08.843, 27 laps
- Qualifying: P17, 1:08.252, 9 laps

• Carlos Sainz will start the Austrian GP from the twelfth spot of the grid after a Saturday which confirmed the issues that the Williams FW48 is experiencing at the Red Bull Ring.
• The Spanish race driver was aware of the limitations for this weekend, but he still put together a great final lap in Q1 which put him just 22 thousandths of a second short from making the cut.
• Carlos wants to seize any opportunity that may arise in tomorrow’s race and he is focused already in the next round, Silverstone, where he expects to make a step forward.

QUOTES:
“Whilst it’s been a tough weekend, I’m very happy with my last lap in Q1 and nearly made it through to Q2. Unfortunately, we just didn’t have enough pace. We’ve been struggling with grip and the weight of the car all weekend and when you combine it with the heat, it’s just too many issues to move up the field. A lot of teams have also brought upgrades and we’re really noticing it this weekend. Hopefully this is a low point and from Silverstone onwards we return to the improvement path. Looking to the race tomorrow, it’s going to be a struggle, but reliability is always a factor at play, so we’ll do the best we can and keep an eye out for any opportunities".

COMING UP:
Sunday, 28 June 2026:
- Race: 15:00 local time (15:00 CEST)