In the shadow of Alex Albon: Frustration and depression plagues Sainz' season

18:42, 18 Jul

Updated: 20:42, 18 Jul

byNorberto Mujica

That Carlos Sainz would've got off to such a difficult first season at Williams was not predicted by anyone. As teammate Alex Albon soars above him, the Spaniard admits to frustration and depression starting to take hold.

After the race in Silverstone, Sainz said to media including GPblog. "Honestly, it's so frustrating to have so many of these issues or things out of your control in a row."

Whereas in the late stages of the race the Spaniard seemed en route to take a P7 finish, he eventually took the chequered flag in P12.

"For me, a 12 is like retiring. In the position we are, it feels like a retirement, especially because we were running P7, P8, we had done everything right," balked the Williams driver.

Sainz opens up on the emotions that arise from failure

As was made evident by his 2024 season, when he drove knowing that regardless off the outcome of the championship he would inevitably have to make way for Lewis Hamilton ahead of the current season, and still gave it his all for the scarlet red team, his work wthic is nothing to sneeze at.

"I cannot explain to you how you feel as an athlete when you keep going to a simulator, doing all your marketing events, putting a happy face, doing all your free practice, doing everything you can to score a good result [and still come out empty handed]."

"[In] the race you take your risks, you do everything right, the strategy calls, and then something like this out of your control happens and you're out."

"Now we need to wait another two weeks to go racing but it's it gets to a point where it's just extremely frustrating and depressing," concluded Sainz.

Whilst the Spaniard finished P12, Albon scored a P8 adding 4 points to his tally. The Thai driver now leads Sainz by almost three times as many points, 46 to 13.

F1 is set to return to racing action next weekend at Spa which marks the start of a double header that will lead the series into the summer break following the Hungarian Grand Prix. Another chance then for Sainz to prove his worth at Williams.