James Vowles has underestimated a brewing problem at Williams and it could spell trouble for Carlos Sainz

Williams have enjoyed a great start to the 2025 Formula 1 season. But cracks are beginning to show after the Miami Grand Prix.

The Grove outfit have already scored 37 points after six races, nearly double the tally they managed in 2024. Team principal James Vowles is positioning the team to be competitive again with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz on board.

Williams pulled off a major coup by signing the latter from Ferrari last year, with many expecting Sainz to come straight in and beat his teammate. David Coulthard felt it was ‘make-or-break’ for Albon in 2025, but the Thai driver has established an advantage.

Albon is in the ‘form of his life’ as he has scored 30 points compared to Sainz’s seven. The 28-year-old has finished P5 twice in Melbourne and Miami.

While Albon is flourishing in 2025, Sainz is struggling to adapt to the car. A strong weekend at the Miami Grand Prix was overshadowed by frustration over a brewing problem that could haunt Williams.

James Vowles has underestimated the tension between Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz

Having two lead drivers is beneficial for Williams, but it can also cause problems as the pair will want to beat each other and be competitive. That proved to be the case in Miami.

After qualifying P6 and P7, Sainz sustained floor damage at the start of the race. Albon was instructed to hold position behind his teammate, but overtook him and charged on to finish fifth.

Albon ignored team orders because of miscommunication with the radio – he was told to hold back as he was alongside his teammate. Nevertheless, Sainz was furious after the race, proclaiming he had ‘lost a lot of confidence on everything’.

Vowles was quick to reassure the Spaniard and had lengthy discussions about the incident as the team looks to move forward. Tensions are beginning to arise, and the team principal insisted via the Williams YouTube channel that it will not happen again.

“I’d be disappointed if we didn’t have drivers being frustrated by what happens out on track. They’re giving their heart and soul to it, so in the case of Carlos he was there fighting for a fifth place on merit,” he said.

“In the circumstance where something catches you off guard and you’re not sure whether it was the driver or anything else going on, it can frustrate you. But his passion is exactly why I want him in this team and in the car.

“We spent quite a bit of time post-race and again on Monday talking through it – the incident actually was just a few minutes, but more importantly [on] how we as a team move forward from that and do a better job altogether in the future.”

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James Vowles must snuff out any tension between Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz heading into 2026

Cracks are beginning to show in the relationship between Albon and Sainz. While the pair displayed great teamwork in Jeddah, it was the exact opposite in Miami, even if it was down to an issue with the team’s communication.

It is hard to know whether Albon would have overtaken Sainz had the message been relayed before he was about to make a move. In any case, Miami proved that tension can arise within the Williams camp – Vowles cannot afford for this to continue.

The Grove outfit appeared to be faster than Ferrari on Sunday, highlighting the potential they have in 2025. Vowles says Williams have the ingredients to score podiums, with the drivers they have and the hard work going on behind the scenes.

Williams are heavily focusing on 2026 and the new regulations as they hope to become frontrunners again in F1. With aspirations of winning races and even championships, tension could reach a boiling point between Albon and Sainz as they clearly show they want to fight each other.

The latter was dejected in Miami as he potentially lost out on a bigger points haul. It will be hugely important for Williams to fix their issues and snuff out any friction between their drivers.