In a shocking turn of events at the Austrian Grand Prix, Carlos Sainz bemoans damages to his car that led to his early elimination during the qualifying session. The Spanish driver expressed his frustration as his Williams became “impossible to drive” due to significant damage to the bottom of the car, causing it to pull to one side during braking.
Despite equipping his car with a new set of soft tires, Sainz could only manage a slight improvement, finishing in 19th place while his teammate Alex Albon made it to Q2 and qualified in 12th place. Sainz radioed his team during the session and later revealed to Sky Sports the extent of the issues plaguing his car since leaving the pits, citing major damages to the car’s underside and inconsistent braking behavior.
“This is the third consecutive elimination for Sainz in Q1, continuing a rough start at Williams, also finishing 17th in Canada and 18th in Spain. Albon has surpassed him in 7 out of the 11 races so far this season.”
Sainz expressed disappointment over the recurring problems faced by the team, labeling the session as frustrating. He mentioned, “Many issues, many difficulties, and an elimination in Q1. Let’s see tomorrow. Today was not our day – definitely, many problems again in qualifying. We need to figure out why we are accumulating so many problems.”
The Spanish driver’s struggles in qualifying have been evident, with this latest setback adding to a series of disappointing performances. As the competition heats up on the track, Sainz faces mounting pressure to turn the tide and deliver stronger results in the upcoming races.
