- Carlos Sainz’s Williams caught fire before the start of the Austrian Grand Prix
- He complained about his brakes before smoke came out of the back of his car
- Sainz’s race was over before it began and the action was delayed by 10 minutes
Carlos Sainz’s Williams caught fire before the start of the Austrian Grand Prix, delaying the action by 10 minutes.
The Spaniard complained about his brakes before smoke started coming out of the back of his car moments later.
Marshals came scampering over immediately and doused the flames – he was lucky to be at the pit entrance close to assistance.
Sainz, who was due to start 19th, remained inside the cockpit and was wheeled into his garage, his race over before it had begun with Lando Norris on pole with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc behind him.
‘Game over, Carlos, jump out,’ said his race engineer Gaetan Jego.
Carlos Sainz’s Williams caught fire before the start of the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday
Sainz complained about his brakes before smoke started coming out of the back of his car
Beforehand, Sainz had stalled on the grid as the formation lap began and was then jump-started by marshals.
His despairing Williams boss James Vowles put his head in his hands on the pit wall.
Sainz has had an underwhelming 2025 season and has not yet placed higher than eighth in any race, picking up points at just six Grand Prix so far.
This after he came fifth in the 2024 driver’s standings, having finished on the podium nine times, including wins in Melbourne and Mexico City.
