Carlos Sainz: 16th position on the grid – not our level
In the qualifying session at the Japanese track in Suzuka, only Carlos Sainz from the Williams drivers made it to the second part, but ultimately showed the 16th time. Alex Albon was just a little behind him and during the session suggested that it was related to his driving style.
James Vowles, team principal: "This is the maximum our car was capable of today. Carlos did well to make it to the second part of qualifying. We are gradually progressing week by week, which is extremely important right now, and we will continue to do so.
We have a long way to go, but I am confident that the program we will work on during the 5-week break in the championship will allow us to move forward. In the remaining time until the end of the season, we will try to improve our position and achieve acceptable standings relative to our competitors.
We understand that the FW48 car does not meet our expectations right now, but nevertheless, tomorrow we will do everything we can to fight for points if the opportunity arises."
Carlos Sainz (16th): "Making it to the second part of qualifying today was the best scenario, and we managed to achieve it. I am satisfied because the team did everything it could, and I drove my laps quite confidently.
We have made progress compared to China, but we still need to continue improving the car's efficiency. Starting from 16th position is not our level.
I enjoy driving on the Suzuka track, and I will do everything I can to show the best possible result in tomorrow's race, and then we will see how we finish."
Alex Albon (17th): "The results of the day are disappointing because it feels like the car is working well, and I am comfortable driving on this track, plus the rhythm was good. After the races in Melbourne and China, we were able to fix several issues with the car, but other difficulties emerged, which hindered us a bit.
There are no problems that are impossible to solve, but the team needs to understand their causes. I am satisfied with how I am driving, and we are handling the corners well, so in the evening we will need to analyze all the collected information and understand what can be improved."
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Carlos Sainz: 16th position on the grid – not our level
Only Carlos Sainz from the Williams drivers made it to the final qualifying round on the Japanese track, but he had to settle for 16th place for now...