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Carlos Sainz managed to drag his struggling Williams car past the chequered flag to earn the team their first points this season.
Despite struggling over the weekend, especially with reliability issues during qualifying, Sainz managed to secure P9 at the Chinese Grand Prix.
Williams’ terrible start to the season led many to believe that neither of their drivers would do much in Shanghai. These worries were further validated when Alex Albon failed to start the race due to a hydraulic issue.
Disaster for Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Alex Albon and Gabriel Bortoleto as they fail to start the Chinese Grand Prix!
But Carlos Sainz managed to salvage what looked to be yet another torrid weekend for Williams with a stellar drive under the circumstances.
However, Sainz urged Williams to stay focused on the issues they have. This sentiment has now been echoed by Albert Fabrega.
READ MORE: Williams must explore Christian Horner deal or risk Carlos Sainz exit amid pressure on James Vowles
Albert Fabrega suggests Williams must avoid letting points ‘overshadow’ larger concerns
Former race engineer Albert Fabrega spoke after the Chinese Grand Prix about how Williams managed to secure points unexpectedly, thanks to Carlos Sainz.
He admitted that, while Sainz’s performance was solid, and the points will benefit them greatly, Williams cannot let this success distract them from the major issues they are facing, including their weight and power unit concerns.
“Sainz finished with a great race, earning two points. Apart from Cadillac and Aston Martin, the only team that hadn’t scored points. And therefore they should be happy.”
“But the joy from those two points shouldn’t be a smokescreen for the reality of where Williams are, and how much they have to improve to become a team that can fight for points in the midfield and be involved in the fight for Q3 and be in the points.”
“Last year, they took two podiums. Albon didn’t even go out in Shanghai… Sainz had a great race, he knew how to manage everything without getting into trouble.”
“Good pace, good strategy, good pit stop, and in the end, he took those two points, which are worth their weight in gold. But that shouldn’t overshadow the issues Williams are facing, which won’t be easy to turn around in quick time.”
READ MORE: Juan Pablo Montoya says Williams staff should be ‘sacked’ for allowing an overweight car
Prove us wrong – Carlos Sainz made a mistake signing for Williams over Audi
Williams risking Carlos Sainz exit as mechanical issues persist
Over the last few weeks, as Williams’ issues have become more and more evident, there has been a lot of talk about Carlos Sainz’s future with the team.
Many believe Sainz made a mistake signing for Williams, as they don’t have the resources to deliver the level of success a driver of his calibre aspires for.
Sainz rejecting Audi for Williams looks like a worse decision in hindsight, given how much better Audi have looked to start this season.
If Williams cannot fix their issues in the ‘medium-term’ timeline that Williams’ Team Principal James Vowles proposed, Carlos Sainz could look to leave the team at the first chance he gets.
It’s imperative that Williams work out solutions for their concerns soon, as they aren’t just derailing their season right now, but could set them back several years.
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