In recent Formula 1 seasons, Williams have made minor improvements to their car, but they have still been situated toward the back of the grid. An overweight car, a simple floor design, and an aerodynamic deficiency made it very difficult for Williams to even finish in the points.
The Grove-based team seem to have made a massive jump into 2025, and it started with the signing of Carlos Sainz Jr. to a multi-year deal last season. His skill and experience with Ferrari was a major upgrade from the likes of Logan Sargeant and Nicholas Latifi, two of Williams’ most recently dropped drivers.
Many might see the massive improvement as a fluke, considering the team's limited budget, along with a lack of consistency from their drivers. However, the recent changes they made last season could bring them longstanding success.
A prominent developmental aspect was ‘swept under the rug’
The basis of building a competitive car starts from the available staff. Teams such as Mercedes and Red Bull have been very consistent in building faster cars due to having higher quality and quantity of staff.
A big decision that James Vowles made last season was to hire nearly 30 additional staff members to aid in the car’s development, many of them contributing to aerodynamics.
The impact of this hiring can be seen in the FW47’s performance and results, hence the top 10 starting grid positions for both Albon and Sainz in Melbourne, coupled with the P5 finish from the former.
Why does this season’s success make them a contender in 2026?
Prospects for next season are already looking good for Williams. Despite the impending changes in the regulations, being a Mercedes customer team should give them a good basis to start. A major contributor will be having enough staff available to develop the car and its aerodynamics.
Understanding the changes in the car’s framework will be extremely important when it comes to producing a good car in 2026. Teams are set to begin developing next season’s car in the coming months. Wind tunnel time will be important, and last season’s P9 finish in the constructor championship gives Williams the second highest amount of time for wind tunnel testing this season.
So Williams now have the necessary framework to develop a competitive car for 2026, along with an extremely competitive driver lineup as well. Albon and Sainz are fully capable of executing the FW48’s capabilities, and it very well could lead them to a P4 finish in the constructor standings next season.