Sainz warned his F1 career is 'stalling out' as Williams 2026 struggles continue

Former F1 driver and Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle said Carlos Sainz’s move to Williams has turned into a “cul-de-sac,” warning the 31-year-old that his F1 future is stalling at the wrong time. Brundle pointed to Williams’ drop to the back of the 2026 field despite a promising “best of the rest” P5 finish in the 2025 Constructors’ standings, which included podiums for Sainz in Azerbaijan and Qatar. Williams scored four points in the first six races but has gone winless since the Barcelona GP, with Sainz and Alex Albon finishing P18 and P17 at the Hungarian GP. Rumors linking Sainz to Audi are expected to become clearer when racing resumes at Zandvoort in late August. Brundle also argued Williams’ decision to “sacrifice 2025” for 2026 hasn’t translated to the new regulations.