Carlos Sainz did not attend media day for the Sao Paulo Grand Prix after Williams confirmed he was unwell. The team has not shared any medical details, and his condition remains under assessment. The timing could not be more difficult, with the Interlagos round operating under the sprint format.
This weekend offers only one practice session before sprint qualifying. Drivers and teams usually rely on that brief hour to refine their set-ups, so any missed track time would put Sainz at an immediate disadvantage. Whether he recovers in time for FP1 will determine how Williams structures its weekend.
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Regulations leave little room for delays
F1 rules require teams to confirm any driver changes early during sprint weekends. If Sainz remains unwell, Williams must declare a replacement before the start of sprint qualifying for the sprint race, or before regular qualifying for the main Grand Prix.
Although the team has not indicated that a change is imminent, the situation is being monitored with the regulations in mind. Should Williams need a stand-in, the most realistic option is Valtteri Bottas. The Finnish driver currently serves as reserve for Mercedes, which supplies Williams’ power units.
A reminder of last year’s health-related substitutions
Interlagos has seen late-minute replacements before. In 2024, Kevin Magnussen withdrew from the Sao Paulo weekend due to illness, leading Haas to call in Oliver Bearman. The British driver raced competitively and finished the event without major issues.
Sainz also has a recent history of illness affecting a race weekend. At the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, he was diagnosed with appendicitis after missing media day. Bearman stepped in from FP3 onward and finished seventh in his unexpected debut.
Strong late-season form puts pressure on recovery
Sainz enters the Sao Paulo round with 38 points and 11th in the standings. His second half of the season has been solid, with a podium in Azerbaijan and a third-place finish in the sprint at the United States Grand Prix two weeks earlier. Williams has relied heavily on his consistency as they attempt to secure fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Missing track time on a sprint weekend is always costly. Interlagos amplifies that risk with its unpredictable weather, short lap, and high emphasis on rhythm. Williams will hope that Sainz is able to return to the cockpit quickly so the team avoids restructuring its weekend around a substitute.
The opening practice session will reveal whether the illness was a temporary setback or the start of a more complicated scenario for Sainz and Williams.
