Vowles concedes Williams season is lost as Sainz eyes Baku upgrade verdict

Williams currently sits ninth in the constructors' standings with just 11 points from 14 rounds, ahead only of Aston Martin and Cadillac. The team arrived at pre-season testing in Bahrain with an overweight car after delays forced it to miss the Barcelona Shakedown, and neither Carlos Sainz nor Alex Albon has added to the points tally since Monaco.

Sainz was similarly candid about what the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix package will deliver. "I think that upgrade is going to definitely help us to get ourselves closer to potentially fighting for some points," the Spaniard told media including GPBlog. "But realistically speaking, that's nowhere near where we wanted to be this year, nowhere near what we promised. So, it's still not enough and it's still not where we want to be."

The frustration is not new. Sainz has previously voiced his frustration at the teams inability to challenge for points this season.

Reports have suggested that Sainz holds an option clause in his Williams contract that could allow him to terminate his deal after 2026 should the package fail to close the gap to the midfield. However, Vowles has previously dismissed speculation about contract specifics, insisting that anything reported online is 'speculation and that is it.'

Vowles has described the Azerbaijan package as a 'B-spec car' featuring a new chassis and additional components. Last year, Sainz qualified second and finished third in Azerbaijan, a performance that underlines just how far the team has slipped.

Despite the bleak outlook, Vowles insists the longer view is what matters. "What we're trying to do is put ourselves back above water by the time we get into next year's car," he said. Whether that message is enough to keep Sainz invested through the remainder of a season he has already written off will depend, in large part, on what the Baku upgrade shows on track this week.