'We're in trouble here' – Vowles reveals how he told Sainz and Albon of problems facing Williams in 2026

Williams Team Principal James Vowles revealed on the Beyond the Grid podcast that he contacted drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon as early as December to warn them the team would face serious performance problems in 2026. The Williams FW47, powered by a Mercedes unit, missed its first pre-season shakedown in Barcelona and was found to be significantly overweight and lacking performance under the new 2026 Formula 1 regulations. Vowles described being 'knocked off his feet' by the responses of both drivers when he delivered the difficult news.