Sainz: Williams Treated Dutch GP Sprint as 'Test Session,' Expects Difficult Weekend

Carlos Sainz Jr. revealed that his Williams team treated the sprint race at the Dutch Grand Prix as an experimental session, aiming to find improvements for their struggling car. The Spanish driver finished the sprint in 20th position, acknowledging that the team's efforts to test a different setup yielded no discernible benefits.

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Unfortunately, it seems it didn't give us anything.

"Unfortunately, it seems it didn't give us anything," Sainz stated after the race. He explained that during the sprint, he made a pit stop specifically to "try things with the wing," but the modifications did not translate into better performance. This approach was taken despite Sainz recently signing a multi-year contract extension with Williams.

The FW45 car has presented significant challenges, compounded by damage incurred during free practice sessions. Sainz reported that several crucial parts were compromised, leading to a "compromised car" for the remainder of the weekend. "It doesn't seem like we've found anything, it's true that we're running with a quite compromised car after running out of some good parts, it seems we're going to suffer," he admitted.

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It doesn't seem like we've found anything, it's true that we're running with a quite compromised car after running out of some good parts, it seems we're going to suffer.

Looking ahead to the qualifying session and the main Grand Prix on Sunday, Sainz indicated that the sprint race primarily served to rule out potential solutions. "Of what could have gone better, there doesn't seem to be anything that's going better," he concluded, suggesting a bleak outlook for Williams at Zandvoort.

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Of what could have gone better, there doesn't seem to be anything that's going better.