Alex and Carlos ready for Barcelona as milestone weekend beckons

Carlos returns home for the first of two visits in 2026, while Alex prepares to break Williams Grand Prix start record

Published

11 JUN 2026

Est. reading time

2 min

The European leg of the 2026 Formula 1 season continues in Barcelona as Atlassian Williams F1 Team heads to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for Round 7 of the championship.

The newly-titled Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix marks the first of Carlos Sainz's two home races this season, while Alex Albon prepares to make history by becoming the driver with the most Grand Prix starts for Williams.

Carlos Sainz is looking forward to racing in front of his home crowd and building on the progress the team has made so far this season.

"It’s great to be back in Barcelona and racing in front of the Spanish fans! This has always been a special track for me and I always look forward to this week. After Monaco, the team and I are even more motivated to bounce back and put together a solid weekend. “This is a track the car has struggled with in recent years, but hopefully we can fight again for points and keep our momentum going. We are taking steps in the right direction and we need to keep building on that."

For Alex Albon, the weekend carries added significance as he prepares to surpass a long-standing Williams record.

"It's great to be back in Barcelona this weekend - I love the food here and the atmosphere is also incredible with the Spanish fans bringing so much energy to the weekend. Monaco was a complicated weekend to manage, but we kept our heads down and came away with points. We'll be looking to take another step forward here in Barcelona and build on the past few races. “On a personal note, it’s quite incredible to reach the milestone of becoming the driver with the most Grand Prix starts in Williams' history. This is a team with an extraordinary legacy in this sport, and to have my name associated with it in that way is very special and something I am proud of. To mark the occasion, I'll be running a tribute helmet this weekend inspired by Nigel Mansell's 1992 championship winning design. He's a true legend of the sport and such an iconic part of what Williams stands for, so it felt like the right way to celebrate it - and a big thank you to Nigel for giving his blessing. “Now the focus is on executing a clean weekend and making the most of every session, and to put ourselves in the best position possible come Sunday."