Coming off an impressive final year with Ferrari, it must be a tough transition in 2025 for Carlos Sainz. He went from battling for race wins and shots at top spots in the F1 constructors' table to feeling like P5 is a massive win. Considering where Williams were just a few years ago, it is.
But the big numbers that allow Williams to be there are only about one-fifth coming from the Spanish star. And if his results that he's been pulling this season continue, they very well could slip into letting a team like Sauber or Aston Martin take their spot.
Carlos Sainz's stats
Standings Position: 16th
Points: 16
Best Finish: 8th (twice)
Best Qualifying Position: 6th (three times)
Head-to-head race finishes (vs. Albon): 4-9
Head-to-head qualifying: 6-8
Head-to-head points: 16-54
Sainz's struggles: Carlos can't string good results together
Even with a bit of grace for Sainz downgrading to a much less competitive team and having to adjust to new equipment, it has been a disappointing run.
He started off with a safety car crash on lap one of race one, and then got his first point next time out thanks to multiple disqualifications ahead of him.
After some empty efforts, it seemed like maybe he found some form with three consecutive P6 qualifying spots, and then 10 points from that trio of races. But since then, he's given very little to get excited about.
He's only scored two grand prix points since, one of which was basically from the farce that is Monaco racing in 2025. His best effort will passed over because sprints are so easily forgettable, when he went P6 at the Spa sprint.
He's only got one Q3 appearance in his last seven tries (P9 at Silverstone) and has lined up P15 or worse in four of those seven.
Sainz doesn't size up to Albon
Williams is not long removed from being a team that was thrilled to just get a point of the board, but Alex Albon has led the team to hoping for a slice of its former glory in 2026, as he sits 8th in the drivers' table.
So when measured up against what Albon has been able to do, it only magnifies Sainz's slow start. Outside of three-straight retirements (2/3 of which weren't his fault), Albon has found his way into the points in nine of 11 races he finished. Sainz has only managed six of 12.
Just in his previous three races, Albon has put up 12 points, 75% of Sainz's full season total.
Sainz has yet to go north of P8 in a grand prix in 2025, something Albon has managed five times.
Finally, Albon (outside of the DNFs) has gained positions in-race in all but one race (and that race he finished P6). Sainz has slipped several times, including in three straight races heading into the summer break.
Sainz can rebound
Unlike some of the driver at the bottom of these rankings, we've seen Sainz at his best, and it is very, very good.
In 2025, we've seen top talents like Oscar Piastri go from good to great with time to adjust. Perhaps Sainz's turnaround is just a big result away.
Just two years removed from finishing only six points behind teammate Charles Leclerc on points, it seems hard to believe that this is just how it's going to be for Sainz.