Williams is planning a three-pronged upgrade to help get its 2024 Formula 1 season back on track but has otherwise started focusing on 2025.
The Grove-based team has taken a step backwards in 2024 after trying to design a car that is more competitive on various different circuits, compared to 2023’s one-trick pony that excelled on low-downforce tracks.
But while the 2023 car allowed Alex Albon to shine and take a decent haul of points on several circuits, 2024’s FW46 isn’t competitive anywhere, being overhauled in the midfield by the likes of RB and Haas.
Williams heads into the summer break on four points, just ahead of a scoreless Sauber squad.
But while team boss James Vowles has stuck to his long-term approach in turning Williams’ fortunes around, he explained Williams will target three areas of improvement with updates coming shortly after the summer break.
Williams will improve its aerodynamics and suspension design while also trimming further weight off the car, which has been the team’s Achilles heel during the first half of the campaign.
“We have updates coming up this summer break – I hope in Zandvoort and I hope again in Baku or the race after Baku which is Singapore,” Vowles said in Spa.
Logan Sargeant, Williams FW46
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
“What I can tell you is there are substantive numbers that should add up to us being back in a position of fighting for points.
“It’s achieved through a number of things. It’s aerodynamic updates, you’re going see a suspension update, and you’re going see weight coming off the car. So it’s fundamentally three core routes wherever we’re doing this.
“In the world of Formula 1 they’re big steps, but my reticence is you’ve now watched RB who had an update to take it off, Mercedes had an update but took it off. You don’t normally see that, teams have confidence in what they do.”
But Vowles also said that while its new parts are in production, Williams’ design team has already shifted focus to 2025 for some time now, fitting in with the squad’s long-term focus.
“We’re also investing in 25, so our car in the wind tunnel is not the 2024 car, it’s been the 2025 one for quite a few months,” he explained.
“The reason why we’re doing this is not because I believe in 2025, but I want to get the 2026 car in the tunnel as soon as possible, but still have a sensible 2025 season.
“Everything we’re doing is basically forward borrowing against getting everything as quickly as possible into 2026. With the additional resources, we now have team members focused on ’24, ’25 ’26, and a little bit of ’27 as well at the same time.
“That’s a change for Williams, we were more used to working one year in advance or even on the current year. And as you can imagine, when you do that within the organisation, it takes time to adapt.
“Nothing I’ve told you here is special sauce; Mercedes does it, Red Bull does it, but for Williams, it’s a large departure.”
