Overview
- Williams said the Spaniard is unwell and cancelled his Thursday media appearances at Interlagos, with his availability for practice and sprint qualifying still undecided.
- If he is ruled out, the team is considering Mercedes reserve Valtteri Bottas or development driver Luke Browning as a stand-in.
- Browning has already completed two FP1 sessions this season, offering recent mileage if a replacement is required.
- Williams will race in a special Gulf Oil livery in Brazil and has announced a 2026 rebrand to Atlassian Williams F1 Team with a new logo honoring Sir Frank Williams.
- The Grove outfit holds a 39-point lead over sixth place with four races left, boosted by Sainz’s recent podium in Baku and a top-three in the United States sprint.