What was redemption in 2024 now turns into a major uphill battle: Carlos Sainz is set for a tough weekend at the Mexican Grand Prix — and here’s why.
Sometimes, moving on isn’t easy. That’s the case for Carlos Sainz, who arrives at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez this Sunday, October 26, with low morale after his collision with Kimi Antonelli in Austin — an incident that forced him to retire and earned him a five-place grid penalty for this weekend’s race.
The Williams driver, already frustrated by the costly mistake that ended both his and Antonelli’s races, faces an even tougher task on one of the most demanding circuits of the year. The high altitude and fast, flowing corners of Mexico City make every lap of preparation crucial — and in Sainz’s case, there will be fewer of them.
No FP1 for Sainz in Mexico: Here’s Why
Sainz won’t take part in FP1, as the session will be handed over to young British driver Luke Browning, part of the Williams Racing Academy. Browning will drive the FW47 in the opening practice to gather data for the team — but that also means Sainz will lose valuable track time needed to fine-tune his setup and get up to speed.
Combined with the five-place grid penalty, this makes the weekend an uphill struggle for “El Matador.” Sainz will have to recover lost ground quickly in FP2 and FP3 to build confidence before qualifying — where starting below 14th could mean lining up dead last.
For Sainz, who won in Mexico just a year ago, this weekend looks set to be one of his hardest tests yet — a real challenge to prove he can bounce back after the disaster in Austin. Meanwhile, for Browning, it’s a golden opportunity to showcase his potential on the big stage. But for Sainz, it’s time lost — and ground to make up — in what could have been a weekend of redemption.
