Williams driver Carlos Sainz reflected on a tricky 2026 F1 Canadian GP outing after recovering from an early strategic gamble to score points with a P9 finish in Montreal.
The Spaniard admitted he made the wrong call before the start of the Canadian GP by opting for inters, believing rain might be a more significant factor. He also noted that the low temperatures made for tricky race conditions as drivers struggled with grip.
“Yeah, I think at every braking point you were kind of hoping that you wouldn’t lock the fronts,” Sainz told the media post-race.
“It was an incredibly tough race, but certainly conditions that I always enjoy driving in and I always feel like I can extract a bit more or a bit extra.”
Sainz explains inter tyre gamble at Canadian GP
Sainz accepted responsibility for the strategic decision that compromised the opening phase of his 2026 Canadian GP outing.
“Unfortunately, I made the wrong choice to be on inter when we had to take the decision to go for the tyres,” he explained.
“It was seven, eight minutes to go. Seven, eight minutes to go, it was raining quite a bit and the track was quite damp. Little did I know that within five minutes it was going to stop and then there was going to be three formation laps to dry completely the track to not get any benefit of the inter.
“It was my mistake and it was my call and it was the wrong call.”
Sainz added that, on a positive note, the pace of the Williams was very promising once the conditions improved.
“But later after the first stop from inter to mediums, we had mega pace,” he said.
“Honestly, for all the moments I was matching or quicker than the McLarens around me—we were on the same strategy—and yeah, that allowed us to get back into points, back into contention and get our race sorted because we needed something quite special to come back from there from the back.”
Starting position pushed Sainz towards risky strategy call
The Williams driver also suggested his P15 starting position influenced the decision-making process before the Canadian GP.
“Yeah, probably if I was starting in the top ten, I would have chosen to be on softs,” Sainz said.
“I think this year when I’m P15 and there’s a bit less hope, you always—maybe wrongly sometimes—gamble a bit more. The radar was quite clear that the rain was never going to be too intense.
“So again, with hindsight, maybe I should always leave gambling for the casino and maybe commit just to think what is the actual best choice.”
Sainz admitted that he was confident inters were the right choice until the track dried rapidly as drivers unexpectedly completed two extra formation laps.
“But there was a moment on the grid when I had eight minutes to go when I took the decision but I was also convinced it was the right one,” he said.
“It just lasted two minutes and then I saw the tarmac again and it was dry and as soon as I left the grid to do the first formation lap, I said, ‘it’s dry’.”
Sainz discusses 2026 F1 regulations after Canadian GP
Sainz—serving as the GPDA director since 2025—also spoke about the ongoing efforts to improve the current regulations. Asked whether recent tweaks introduced for Miami had improved the racing product, the Spaniard said he still believed the regulations needed further changes.
“It’s still a bit too much in my opinion,” Sainz said.
“I think there is scope and there is margin to improve this engine and these regulations with what is being proposed for next year.
“I think for this year, I don’t think we can do much more and from my side, I’ve decided just to maybe just stop complaining because it’s clear that this year is not ideal and it’s never going to be ideal, but I’m very hopeful about next year and how much it can change.”
Sainz also spoke about how tricky it is to change the regulations beyond relatively minor adjustments for greater safety.
“I know. I know it is,” he acknowledged.
“Actually, then when I said that thinking about it, I think there’s a commission where you can vote and the teams have a vote.
“I guess that’s where I was saying maybe to FIA and FOM to push it through and stay committed to it because if they say it should be like that, I’m pretty sure teams that are complaining or maybe not fully aligned with them, they will have no other choice than to do it. So obviously, everyone needs to agree, but at the same time, if it’s for the good of the sport, for the good of the racing and the show, I’m a big fan of the rulers taking a very strong approach and strong stance on it.”
Drivers “quite happy” with certain aspects of the cars
Despite the 50/50 electric and combustion power split drawing criticism, Sainz praised the chassis design philosophy on the 2026 generation of cars, noting that the cars are lighter and more agile than their predecessors.
“I think all the drivers have been very vocal that the chassis, the aero is not the problem this year,” he said.
“I think we are all quite happy with how of the step that the cars have done towards feeling a bit lighter, feeling a bit more narrow and not as long and a bit more agile, a bit more… they still have pretty decent downforce.”
“So we are enjoying to drive them. I think they just need a good power unit.”
