Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon may have put their personal rivalry on hold at Williams. It’s one thing to have that attitude in the winter, of course, and another when the first qualifying session of the year rolls around.
Both drivers will suffer reputational damage if they lose out in this head-to-head. Sainz’s stock may fall in the eyes of the top teams, while critics will argue that Albon can only beat the weaker drivers on the grid.
That pressure is undeniable, but the feeling is that they need to cooperate to raise Williams’ ceiling as high as possible. Albon wants to be winning races by 2027, the second year of the upcoming ruleset.
At a title-contending team, the two drivers may be secretive. There’s a competitive advantage in withholding certain information.
But when ninth or tenth place is at stake, rather than the race win or the championship, the battle should be less intense and there ought to be greater co-operation. Sainz wants Williams to adopt the same attitude as Ferrari, and that experience of a winning culture was part of the reason James Vowles was so keen to sign him.
He’ll also be reliant on his new teammate, though. Albon is entering his fourth year at Grove, which means he’s an expert in the car’s characteristics.
Carlos Sainz discussed technical details of Williams car ‘in a corner’ at team event
Williams held their public launch on Friday, streaming Sainz’s first laps in the 2025 car on their social media channels. A day earlier, they’d held a private event with their commercial partners.
Attending these functions is part of a driver’s responsibilities, but Sainz and Albon were more interested in discussing the ‘technical aspects’ of the Williams. They were seen ‘in the corner’ of the room deliberating the optimal ride height for the FW47.
Jonathan Noble, speaking on The Race F1 Podcast, explained that the selfless mantras the drivers are using on-camera reflect their attitude behind the scenes. Williams fans will be delighted to hear this, because it should help them achieve their ‘ultimate target’.
“I heard a little anecdote today that there was a private team event last night [with] sponsors, partners and guests,” Noble said. “Alex and Carlos were there.
“They ended up being spotted in a corner chatting to each other and discussing ride heights and settings and technical aspects of the cars. [They were] both trying to dig even more information out of each other.
“It shows where this relationship is. It’s not superficial. They’re not playing games with each other in public, smiley happy in front of TV cameras, and behind the scenes, stabbing each other in the back and trying to get one up on each other.
“There’s a proper relationship there. Both understand the ultimate target of winning races can only be achieved if they work together now.”
One detail about Williams’ new F1 car might surprise Carlos Sainz
Williams team ambassador Jenson Button has praised Vowles for his ‘phenomenal’ leadership. And the immediate rapport between Sainz and Albon speaks to the harmonious culture he’s created.
Backers Dorilton Capital have shown patience so far as the former Mercedes strategist overhauls the team. They’re ready to take some more pain this year so long as the team make a strong start to the active aerodynamics era in 2026.
Williams have made few changes to their car ahead of the new season, which is a surprise given their lowly championship position. Testing will offer a clearer picture of their progress in lap times.
The feeling is that they lacked the stability to show their true performance last year, so didn’t necessarily need to embrace a radical new direction. Logan Sargeant lost his seat in the summer, and while his replacement Franco Colapinto was an upgrade, he suffered several serious accidents.
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