Carlos Sainz was among the first drivers to take to the track on Saturday for the 2025 F1 Qatar GP Qualifying session and fought his way into Q3 to obtain a P7 starting position fo Sunday’s race. This was just another highlight of the Spaniard’s season. Although his teammate has scored more points this season, Sainz delivered a standout performance in Azerbaijan, giving Williams their first podium in four years. His podium there, along with a P5 finish in Las Vegas, underscores Williams’ growing competitiveness in the second half of the 2025 F1 season.
Sainz’s P7 in Qualifying comes despite fears that the FW47 would struggle in Qatar. While the FW47 benefits from circuits with long straights, as acknowledged by Team Principal James Vowles, the the Lusail International Circuit features many medium-speed corners—an area where the team still struggles. Vowles admitted he was particularly concerned that the Qatar GP could expose the car’s weaknesses.
A session disrupted by loose plastic
Both Williams cars advanced past Q1 in Qatar GP qualifying, though Alex Albon was knocked out in Q2. At the start of Q3, Sainz suffered an unusual setback when a piece of plastic became lodged on his tyre as he exited the garage. Unsurprisingly, he struggled to navigate the circuit without the normal grip provided by the rubber.
“Yeah, I think we picked up a [bit of] plastic exiting the pit lane and in the tyre. Then I was just sliding around with the plastic on my tyre. So you can imagine how difficult that is if one carries with plastic instead of with rubber.
The Spaniard noted that the debris not only compromised his grip but also caused minor damage to the bodywork as he drove. The plastic eventually detached and fell onto the track, prompting a red flag in Q3. Though he admitted the incident dented his confidence, he quickly regrouped. Sainz extracted the maximum from the car, matching his Q2 lap time with another 1:20.2 and ultimately securing P7 for the Qatar GP.
“So yeah, for sure it was not ideal because it damaged a bit the bodywork. Obviously, I lost a bit of confidence in everything, but we managed to recover well. We did another 20.2 in Q3, the same lap time as in Q2, which was the limit of the car. So lining up P7 is a good place to be.”
Aiming for the “midfield win”
Looking ahead to the race, Sainz is optimistic about finishing at the front of the midfield. He has been keeping a close eye on his competitors and notes that Racing Bulls driver Isack Hadjar has been running at a similar pace. With turn one at the Qatar GP likely to be chaotic, Sainz believes it could ultimately decide who claims the “midfield win.”
“I think in front. I think with Hadjar in the Sprint, he was at a very similar pace. So whoever gets to turn one ahead might get the race midfield win in that sense.
The Williams driver remains realistic about his pace heading into the Qatar GP. He acknowledges that Hadjar had the slight edge in qualifying, but he is confident his team can refine their strategy overnight.
“I think he was very quick today, probably a tenth quicker than us. But tomorrow is a different day and with strategy, hopefully we can do something.”
