Carlos Sainz Faces Challenges in Austrian GP Qualifying
Formula 1 driver Carlos Sainz has confirmed that his Williams FW47 suffered damage, leading to an early exit from qualifying at the Austrian Grand Prix. This setback means the Spanish driver will start the race in 19th position on Sunday. During the end of Q1, Sainz expressed frustration over the condition of his car, stating it was "undriveable" via team radio.
Sainz explained the situation to his Grove-based team, highlighting the issues with the car: "There's damage in the car, for sure. The car is undriveable. When I say undriveable, it's pulling under braking, no load in high speed. Undriveable."
As he made his way from the car to the media session in the paddock, the team confirmed that Sainz had indeed picked up some damage to the floor of the car. "Yeah, we must have picked up damage on the floor, which they just confirmed to me that we did," Sainz said. He added that he wasn't exactly sure where the damage occurred, as he hadn't gone off the track. However, something must have fallen off, causing a significant loss of downforce.
In addition to the floor damage, Sainz also faced brake issues throughout the qualifying session. "But on top of that, we had a brake issue from the beginning of quali, pulling massively and the braking to one side. With the three big braking zones here, I was always going to struggle with that."
Sainz confirmed that he felt the brake problems from the start of qualifying. "Yeah, with the brakes, yes. With the floor, it was not clear at the beginning, but then the last couple of laps, there was for sure something, as you could see on the onboard."
He continued, explaining that the team had changed the brakes from FP3 to qualifying, as they typically do. "And we put what we think is a new set, but something must have not been correct, given the amount of pulling that I had to one side every time I hit the brakes."
Sainz also mentioned that the floor damage likely occurred during qualifying. "So, yes, we need to investigate what. The floor, I think, must have happened during quali at some point. Must have something fallen off or dropped something."
Sainz's teammate, Alex Albon, managed to progress into Q2, which only added to the frustration. Albon believed that Q2 was achievable, though Q3 would have been challenging. "Given where Alex was and we'd been on par all weekend, I think Q2 was definitely possible," Sainz said. "Q3 was more of an ask, given our soft tyre struggles. But Q2 should have been easy, top end of Q2."
Sainz also reflected on the team's performance throughout the weekend. "Since yesterday, we've seen we have the race pace of the midfield, but for some reason, in our soft tyres, we always struggle."
When asked if a pit lane start was the best option for him on Sunday, Sainz concluded, "We'll see. I am not here to test. I am not here to be P19 for sure, so we need to start investigating what's going on. But at the same time, you know, this, how do you say, this bad run of races is happening, and we need as a team to push together and see what we can do better as a whole."
He emphasized the importance of addressing the issues in qualifying and the soft tire performance. "Yeah, especially when it comes to qualifying and the soft tyre, because honestly, my race pace is good. Every time I'm driving under normal circumstances, I'm quick. But yeah, just putting things together."
Key Issues Identified by Sainz
- Car Damage: Sainz confirmed damage to the floor of the car, which led to a significant loss of downforce.
- Brake Problems: The driver experienced severe brake issues during qualifying, causing the car to pull to one side.
- Soft Tyre Struggles: Despite strong race pace, the team faced challenges with the soft tires, affecting their performance in qualifying.
- Team Performance: Sainz highlighted the need for the team to work together to improve their overall performance, particularly in qualifying and tire management.
Sainz's experience at the Austrian Grand Prix underscores the complexities of Formula 1, where even minor issues can have a major impact on performance. As the team looks ahead, addressing these challenges will be crucial for future success.
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