Carlos Sainz to start 20th at Madring Grand Prix after penalty

Williams driver Carlos Sainz faced a difficult qualifying session at the Madring circuit. After being eliminated in Q1 by just five thousandths of a second behind teammate Alex Albon, Sainz received a three-position grid penalty for blocking Valtteri Bottas. This penalty will drop him to 20th on the starting grid for Sunday's race.

Sainz expressed resignation regarding his performance, noting that the team lacked speed on the straights. Despite the setback, he praised the new circuit, noting the excitement of the local crowd for the return of Formula 1 to his home region after 45 years. However, as a driver representative, he suggested that improvements will be necessary for future editions of the event to ensure it remains a high-quality circuit for racing rather than just qualifying.