Carlos Sainz admits he’s suffering from same ‘complicated situation’ as Fernando Alonso in 2026

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It’s been a difficult pre-season for both Aston Martin and Williams after so many expectations were placed on them following the conclusion of the 2025 F1 season. Both teams have had their fair share of issues in the lead-up to the new campaign.

With both pre-season tests now in the books, it’s become clear that Aston Martin are at a clear disadvantage to their F1 rivals at this moment in time.

The calibre of their Honda power unit puts them at the bottom of the F1 pecking order, with it currently being unknown whether the AMR26 is fast enough to even qualify for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix.

Across the pit-lane, Williams also haven’t had the best start to F1’s new era of regulations, albeit not on the same level as their rivals from Silverstone.

Carlos Sainz has detailed how the new ruleset has exposed Williams’ weaknesses, and they too are expected to have regressed from the P5 finish the Grove-based outfit secured last year.

• READ MORE: Carlos Sainz and Fernando Alonso told ‘invisible’ F1 issue will stop them fighting for wins in 2026

Which driver will be the biggest disappointment of 2026, other than the Aston Martin duo?

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Carlos Sainz highlights the ‘not ideal’ situation he and Fernando Alonso are in ahead of 2026 F1 season

During an interview with Mundo Deportivo following the conclusion of F1’s final pre-season test in Bahrain, Sainz revealed Fernando Alonso’s private sentiments towards the hand he has been dealt at Aston Martin this year.

He said, “I ran into Fernando one day in the paddock, and we talked for a good 20 minutes, catching up a bit, and well, he’s in a similar situation to me, not ideal, complicated, but eager to see what his team is capable of bringing and to see his team’s ability to react.

“In the end, we both depend on nothing more and nothing less than seeing the reaction capacity we have in our team to the complicated situation in which each of us finds ourselves, but I also wish him all the best, and I hope that Aston Martin and Honda improve on what they showed in Bahrain.”

After failing the FIA’s all-important crash test and missing out on the Barcelona shakedown, the biggest issue that the British constructor has faced is regarding the weight of the FW48.

As their rivals on the grid teeter on the minimum weight limit to maximise performance, Williams are a step behind.

Upgrades are supposedly on the way, but it remains to be seen how quickly Sainz and teammate Alex Albon will be able to adapt to them in time for the meaningful sessions in Melbourne.

For Aston Martin, Honda are ‘optimistic’ they can turn things around, but a power unit upgrade package isn’t expected until the second round of the season.

• READ MORE: Carlos Sainz explains why he is optimistic at Williams despite agreeing on gap to midfield F1 rivals

Aston Martin are currently facing a 38kph deficit to Ferrari’s engine! Do you think they’ll even QUALIFY for the Australian Grand Prix?!

Let us know in the comments below!

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Adrian Newey has a lot of work on his hands to live up to the hype of his first Aston Martin F1 car

The AMR26 was one of the most highly anticipated 2026 F1 challengers ahead of its unveiling at the start of February, but it has failed spectacularly to live up to the hype.

In fact, Aston Martin staff are reportedly ‘a little disappointed’ with Adrian Newey’s first creation, indicating that some frustrations are emerging from personnel within the Silverstone-based F1 team.

More than anyone, team owner Lawrence Stroll has been furious with the lack of progress that his outfit has made over the winter break.

The Canadian billionaire was seen with a ‘face like thunder’ inside the Bahrain paddock, which can be understandable when considering how much money he has injected into the team over recent years.

It will certainly be an interesting season for both Aston Martin and Williams. With both squads on the back foot heading into the first race of the season, it remains to be seen how they will tackle their respective issues as the season ensues.