At a glance
- Carlos Sainz said Williams remained unlikely to score points on normal race pace ahead of the 2026 United States Grand Prix.
- Oscar Piastri reported progress in adapting to his McLaren, while acknowledging that he remained below his target level.
- Isack Hadjar sought a clean weekend after reporting failures in every session in Singapore.
- Sainz highlighted the physical and mental demands of three consecutive triple-headers, particularly for team personnel.
In this article
Carlos Sainz tempered expectations for Williams in Austin on Thursday, 22 October 2026, saying its lighter chassis had improved qualifying prospects without making it a regular points contender. Oscar Piastri described growing confidence in his McLaren, while Isack Hadjar wanted uninterrupted running after Singapore’s reliability problems.
Speaking in the FIA’s United States Grand Prix Thursday press conference, Sainz said reaching the second qualifying segment required a very good lap in Q1. The lightweight chassis had helped him reach Q2 at three consecutive events since Baku, but normal race pace made finishing above 14th or 15th difficult. Scoring points, he suggested, still depended on rivals making mistakes.
Sainz praises COTA as Williams changes working methods
Sainz called Circuit of The Americas one of his favourite tracks, praising its elevation changes, overtaking possibilities and character. He considered it the most exciting modern circuit, with a driving experience that reminded him of older venues.
Williams was also changing its working methods during the season. Sainz acknowledged that the process could feel uncomfortable during race weekends, but said the intention was to prepare the team for a stronger start in 2027.
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Sainz voices Middle East race concerns and calendar strain
Asked whether the season-ending races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi could safely proceed amid changing circumstances in the Middle East, Sainz said his personal position was to follow Formula 1 and the FIA’s lead if they judged racing there safe. He cautioned that political developments could change the situation and said they needed to remain responsive.
Sainz said the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association lacked the political information and contacts available to Formula 1 and the FIA. He distinguished that information gap from the association’s ability to advise on racing, circuits and safety.
Sainz warned that three consecutive triple-headers would be physically and mentally demanding, stressing that team personnel faced a harder burden than drivers because of their limited time at home. He nevertheless emphasised his motivation and willingness to race.
Hadjar seeks clean running as Piastri adapts
Hadjar said failures in every Singapore session had left him frustrated. He remained encouraged by Red Bull’s recent performance, although he rejected the suggestion that it necessarily had Formula 1’s fastest car and acknowledged its remaining weaknesses.
Piastri’s focus was adapting his driving. He said techniques that had worked well for him previously were causing difficulties with the current McLaren, making the adjustment a mental challenge as well as a technical one.
He felt the preceding triple-header had brought him closer to his expected level, though still short of his ambitions. McLaren had some new components for Austin, but Piastri said the team continued to lack performance against its immediate rivals.
Piastri expected Austin’s mixture of fast and slow corners to test both McLaren’s relative high-speed strength and its low-speed weakness. He stopped short of predicting that the circuit would suit the car better than Singapore.
Circuit of The Americas Layout and Austin Weekend Schedule
Austin combines the fast direction changes of its opening sector with slower corner sequences. Formula 1’s official event guide compares Turns 3–6 with sections at Silverstone and Suzuka, and Turns 12–15 with Hockenheim’s stadium section.
The published schedule lists two practice sessions on Friday, 23 October, final practice and qualifying on Saturday, and the race on Sunday, 25 October.
Image credit: Illustrative photograph. · Curt Smith from Bellevue, WA, USA · USGP Austin Oct 2017 · Modifications: Wikimedia-provided thumbnail. · Image source · CC BY 2.0
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