Carlos Sainz gives positive update about 2026 Mercedes engine

Sainz reveals positive information about 2026 Mercedes engine

Since January 1st, the factory at Grove has been exclusively focused on the 2026 car. This has been a part of the long-term strategy at Williams, with the new regulations taking front and centre of their attention.

It was actually halfway through 2024 that James Vowles outlined how the team would approach the future.

He signalled that Williams would spend the second half of the ’24 season developing the 2025 car. The purpose of this was to ensure his personnel could give their undivided attention to the 2026 regulations from the start of this year – without entirely sacrificing this season.

Partly because of this, Williams have been somewhat surprised by their performance this year. They are on track to finish 5th in the standings, which would be their best F1 Championship position in almost a decade.

Considering they have brought virtually no upgrades this year to prioritise 2026, this is very impressive.

Of course, Carlos Sainz did not join Williams with the ambition of fighting for points and securing the occasional podium. For both the Spaniard and Alex Albon, next season is what represents a big opportunity to climb the field.

As a customer team, there will inevitably be some reliance on Mercedes to deliver a winning power unit. Both Sainz and Albon have spoken positively about the Mercedes power unit in the past.

Speaking in an interview with COPE, the former Ferrari driver elaborated on this point:

“I have a lot of trust in the Mercedes engine,” Sainz outlined.

“It’s one of the main reasons why I chose Williams for this regulation change, because I knew they would have the Mercedes engine.

“And everything that reached me about the Mercedes engine was positive, and it still is.”

Williams optimistic, but staying level-headed

Sainz’s Baku podium added to the general feeling of optimism surrounding Williams this season. Prior to his P3 in Azerbaijan, it was Alex Albon who routinely secured stand-out results for the team.

Albon has plenty of top 6 finishes to his name in 2025, almost always a factor in the fight for points. From an operational perspective, the British squad is working intensely to match the efficiency of front-runners.

With heavy investment going into the team’s infrastructure and expanding workforce, Williams are obviously aiming to start next season with a solid foundation.

At the time, team principal James Vowles and his drivers are on the same page with regards to managing expectations. Sainz, for example, cautioned in his interview with COPE that other teams – including Mercedes and McLaren – will have the same engine.

In this sense, Williams cannot rely on the Mercedes power unit to catapult them into race victories. A strong aerodynamic base is needed to optimise what should be the benchmark in 2026.