Carlos Sainz: We quickly realized what had happened

      Carlos Sainz crashed his car in his first race driving a Williams. The Spanish driver lost control of the FW47 in the last corner while the safety car was on the track.

      For his teammate Alex Elbona, the race turned out to be much more successful. Albon fought Lewis Hamilton for most of the race and finished fifth.

      James Voules, team leader: "What pleasant emotions! We remember what positions we were in twelve months ago and compare them with what we are in now – there is a huge difference.

      Alex's excellent performance was confident piloting from start to finish, fighting with the great drivers who were behind, and he didn't make a single mistake.

      As for Carlos, the conditions on the track were difficult. We saw him switch up in a difficult part of the track, and the car spun around. We need to figure out the reasons together, because it's obvious that we could have scored points with two cars today.

      I am incredibly proud of the team and can't wait for the Shanghai stage in a few days. I'm interested in what results we can achieve in the remaining races of the season."

      Alex Albon (5th): "I am very happy. It was a crazy race, and I'm still trying to get over it! Fifth place is a fantastic result for the team, and we can repeat it more than once this year.

      Our strategist has done a great job. To be honest, it was a difficult race – all drivers hate such conditions, but despite all the circumstances, we turned out to be the best of the teams in the middle group. The points I've earned mean a lot, and I'm looking forward to the future with a positive mindset.

      We are a very close-knit team, and it's great that Carlos helped us during the race in the pit lane. This result is a reward for everyone at Grove for their work."

      Carlos Sainz (meeting): "First of all, congratulations to Alex and the team. He did a great job and started the season well. As for me, we studied the telemetry and quickly realized what had happened, thanks to which I am now calmer about this situation.

      Without going into details, I can say that this was due to the increased transmission in the safety car mode. Of course, I'm disappointed, and I feel sorry for everyone in the team.

      For the rest of the race, I tried to help the team on the radio, and I'm glad that I participated in it at least that way. Fortunately, the stage in China is already next weekend, and I can't wait to get back behind the wheel."