Carlos Sainz celebrates unexpected F1 Qatar GP podium and praises Williams execution

Carlos Sainz expresses pride after claiming an unanticipated Qatar Grand Prix podium

Carlos Sainz shared his satisfaction after securing a surprise podium for Williams at the Qatar Grand Prix, describing the result as one of the team’s most impressive performances of the season.

Sainz, who started the race from seventh on the grid, said he had anticipated a difficult weekend but was encouraged by how competitively the car performed. “I’m so happy and proud of what the whole team achieved today,” he told in the post race interview, noting that the weekend had originally been expected to be one of Williams’ toughest of the year.

He highlighted that the team executed every key element of the race effectively, including tyre management, strategy calls, defending, and overall race control. Sainz added that his pace during the Grand Prix was stronger than he expected, contributing significantly to the final outcome. According to his comments, the team achieved an “unexpected podium” by making the most of limited opportunities and delivering a near-flawless performance.

Reflecting on the season, Sainz said that although the first half of the year had been difficult, improvements across various areas gradually helped the team become more competitive. He emphasized that in Qatar, the few openings that emerged were fully taken advantage of, resulting in the podium finish. Sainz concluded by saying he was “over the moon” with the result, especially as it was not something he anticipated going into the Grand Prix.

The Qatar podium marks his third top-three finish since joining Williams, following earlier third-place results in Azerbaijan and the United States Grand Prix Sprint.