United States GP: Expected race results for Williams F1 Team


By Williams F1 Team
October 26 2026

With both Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz starting from well down the grid, and even with both making good starts, they would drop back with Alex finishing 17th and Carlos 18th in the 2026 United States GP. There race results were also not helped by the fact that both would suffer front wing damage which for Carlos would see a front wing change. But given the pace of the FW48 the race results were pretty much the best that could be expected on the day with the team's focus now well and truly shifted to 2027.

 
 Atlassian Williams F1 Team United States GP Race Review
 
Sainz
 
Albon

Alex Albon:
"There were small positives to take from today. I got a good start and gained a few places on the first lap. Austin is a track where you can race and overtake, which I enjoyed, and there were a few battles with Fernando which we'll also review. We picked up some damage early on, and our long stint on the hards left us caught up in the blue flags. We're still lacking pace, and there's a lot of work to do. We'll need to find more for Mexico."

 
Sainz

Carlos Sainz:
"We had another great start off the line but I got squeezed into the wall, had contact and picked up damage to my front wing. That compromised my first stint and I eventually had to pit for a new front wing, losing valuable time. From there it was a good recovery drive, with decent pace given the limitations of our car this week. Looking ahead to Mexico, it’s one track that we might be slightly stronger at, potentially with the ability to mix in with the midfield, but it’s going to take a lot to be back in the points."

 
Vowles

James Vowles, Team Principal:
"It's always disappointing to be unable to score points, but that's where the car pace was this weekend and both drivers got the most out of it that they could. Strong drive from Alex without any errors at all. With Carlos it was a good recovery and he executed his strategy nicely. It was good to see both of them racing cleanly towards the end – two incredible drivers, very respectful to one another. We move on to Mexico and beyond where we will try and eke out a few more milliseconds out of this car, but our main focus now is investing in 2027."

 
Albon
 
Sainz
 
Circuit of The Americas, USA Lap Length: 5.513km
Pos Driver Summary
 
P17 A Albon • Started: P18
• Fastest lap: 1:41.132
P18 C Sainz • Started: P17
• Fastest lap: 1:40:353
 
Albon