Carlos Sainz warns Williams ‘you can’t’ do what Flavio Briatore has just ‘guaranteed’ at Alpine

Carlos Sainz had just started to find his feet at Williams, yet the Madrid native failed to score a point in the Spanish Grand Prix for the first time in his F1 career last Sunday.

The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya welcomed Sainz to Montmelo for the 11th time in his F1 career last weekend. But Williams have not fared well at the track in recent seasons and had another day to forget in the 2025 Spanish GP, as Sainz finished P14 and Alex Albon retired.

Sainz headed into his home race on the back of scoring points in the previous four rounds of the 2025 F1 season. But the 30-year-old could not continue his run, as Sainz qualified P18 and lost 7.483 seconds to the points-paying positions after a safety car restart on Lap 61/66.

It was the fourth time in nine Grands Prix with Williams that Sainz failed to score any points since joining the Grove outfit from Ferrari this season. Williams beat Audi and Alpine to sign Sainz, who had also reached Q3 five times and did not bow out in Q1 before the Spanish GP.

Carlos Sainz warns Williams against ‘extremely ambitious’ short-term targets ahead of the 2026 F1 regulations

The four-time Grand Prix winner knew he would not be joining a leading F1 team by moving to Grove after Ferrari released him to make space for Lewis Hamilton. Sainz knows Williams will not be a top F1 team in 2026 despite the engine and chassis regulation changes, as well.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about F1’s 2026 engine and chassis regulations

But Sainz does not have any issue with team principal James Vowles doubting that Williams will be a top F1 team before 2028. Sainz would still sign up for that objective and believes it is the right mindset to take as so many midfield F1 teams foolishly target rapid progressions.

“I’d sign for it,” Sainz has told Mundo Deportivo. “I think the fact of already becoming a top team, we’ve seen how many teams have tried. Both in the Renault-Alpine era, and I think both Aston Martin and ourselves are on that same trajectory to become a top team.

“That shows you how difficult it is. And that’s why you can’t set extremely ambitious short-term goals, but rather you have to set them more for the medium term.

“I think this team has all the ingredients, and yes, I hope to be able to become one sooner rather than later. But if you told me we would be [a top F1 team] by 2028, I think achieving that would already be a milestone.”

Carlos Sainz’s warning for Williams is precisely what Flavio Briatore has just done at Alpine

While Sainz has warned Williams against setting ‘extremely ambitious’ short-term goals, that is what Flavio Briatore has just done at Alpine. The Enstone outfit’s executive adviser has put race wins in the headlights for 2026 and also fighting for the titles come the 2027 campaign.

READ MORE: All to know on Alpine’s Mercedes engine deal after Renault closed its factory

Briatore is adamant that Alpine will have ‘no excuses’ if they fail to fight for Grand Prix wins next season with F1 introducing a major regulation overhaul. Alpine will even join Williams as an engine customer of Mercedes after Renault closed its F1 engine division in Viry-Chatillon.

Briatore recently told Le Monde: “In 2026, we can win races. I guarantee it. And in 2027, we want to be title contenders. In 2026, there will be no excuses. We must be competitive.

“We owe it to Renault [and] Alpine. We’re in this sport to win. And with the new regulations coming in 2026, the teams that interpret them best will have the edge.”

Despite Briatore’s optimism for Alpine under F1’s 2026 regulations, the Enstone squad have been regressing in recent years. They secured a year-end best of fourth place in the 2022 F1 constructors’ championship after Renault rebranded its team as Alpine for the 2021 season.

Alpine scored 173 points through 2022, as well, but the team have not yet been able to add to their one race win since their rebrand, which Esteban Ocon scored at the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix. Alpine also scored 120 points in 2023, 65 in 2024 and currently have 11 in 2025.

So, Briatore was desperate for Alpine to sign Sainz when the team initially sought to replace Ocon last term. But he favoured a move to Williams, who are fifth in the 2025 constructors’ championship on 54 points. Alpine are last in the 2025 standings after the first nine rounds.