Carlos Sainz leaves cryptic team radio to Williams after F1 Miami GP as Alex Albon defies team orders

Carlos Sainz was visibly upset with Alex Albon and Williams after Albon did not pay heed to the team orders and left Sainz midway through the race. Following the conclusion of the race, Sainz shared a cryptic message on the radio, sharing his distrust and disbelief.

During the 2025 Miami GP on Sunday at the Miami International Autodrome, Albon defied team orders placed by Williams. The team asked Albon to help Sainz with DRS as the Spanish driver suffered damage from a collision earlier in the race.

As Albon and Sainz hit each other right after the race started, the latter was struggling with pace. He asked for assistance from Albon, and so did the team. However, the Thai driver refused to listen to the team orders and sped away.

Following this, neither the team nor Sainz could do anything, and they continued with the race. After the race, Sainz took to his team radio to share a message for Williams and Albon. Here's what he said:

"A strong race, a lot of things to learn. Yeah, some things to discuss. Yeah guys, that is not how I go racing. I don’t care. I've lost a lot of confidence here, on everything."

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In the end, Alex Albon finished the race in P5, despite starting from P7, whereas Carlos Sainz came home in P9 after starting from P6. Oscar Piastri of McLaren claimed the victory once again, to make it three in a row.

Currently, Albon is in P8 of the Driver's Championship with 30 points, thanks to Sunday's 10 points he picked up at Miami, while Sainz is in P13 with seven points after six races, and two sprints.

How did Williams' boss react to Carlos Sainz's message?

Reacting to the team radio, James Vowles, the Williams team principal, shared his thoughts on the radio itself. Here's what he told Sainz:

Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon battle for track position at Miami GP - Source: Getty

“Yeah, Carlos noted. We'll discussed this in the briefing room, but I agree with you, we need proper engagement on it. For the time being, well done for picking up points. You had damage to the car, we'll talk you through, but well done.”

Carlos Sainz arrived at Williams this season on a multi-year deal as he had to make way for Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari. He joined Alex Albon, the former Red Bull Academy driver, an institution Sainz also graduated from.

About the author

Sabyasachi Biswas is a passionate motorsport journalist for Sportskeeda, with a Master's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism. He has over eight years of experience in the field and has over 10000 published articles on the internet.

As a dedicated follower of motorsport, Sabyasachi watches events closely, ensuring his reports are thorough and supported by reputable sources. He is inspired by Max Verstappen’s fearless attitude and dreams of attending the Indian GP if it returns to the calendar. An ardent F1 fan over the years, he enjoyed watching Felipe Massa and Sebastian Vettel and is now following Verstappen's dominant journey on the track.

Apart from F1, he is a big-time NASCAR and football (also soccer) fan. Sabyasachi supports Kyle Larson of Hendrick Motorsports and Spanish club, Real Madrid.

He was a sub-junior level footballer and won inter-district quizzes and debate competitions back in school. A travel freak by nature, Sabyasachi likes to try different cuisines and learn about new cultures. When away from his keyboard, he enjoys soccer, geopolitics, and playing with Khushi & Ubbu - his adorable beagles.

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Edited by Rupesh