Williams F1 navigated a challenging 2024 season, marked by transition, resource struggles, and costly crashes shaping their future ambitions.
A new season of transition—that’s how Williams F1’s year can be summarized. Team Principal James Vowles focused his gaze more on 2026, the year of new regulations, than on 2024 or even 2025. With limited resources, further constrained by numerous crashes, Williams F1 had to reassess its priorities, relying on the arrival of new regulations to make a leap forward, perhaps akin to 2014.
The Williams F1 car might have been a well-designed contender were it not for one key issue: weight. The blue-liveried machine carried several kilos too many—perhaps around ten—which heavily compromised its early-season performance.
In the first half of the season, only Alexander Albon carried the team. The Australian Grand Prix symbolized this: after a heavy crash during free practice, James Vowles made a bold decision to sideline Logan Sargeant for the weekend to allow Albon maximum track time. A tough but fair decision, which Vowles, as always, stood by with his characteristic directness.
The Australian Grand Prix also epitomized another theme: the team’s countless accidents. These crashes cost Williams hours of sleep, millions in expenses (diverted from development), and precious time for implementing updates. On one or two occasions, Williams came close to missing a race due to logistical and operational challenges.
Despite these setbacks, Alex Albon continued to deliver, particularly in qualifying, where he consistently reached Q2 and occasionally Q3, extracting the maximum from the car.
A technical turning point came with an aerodynamic upgrade introduced at the Dutch Grand Prix. The Williams F1 car returned to or near the minimum weight limit. This update restored some competitiveness to the FW46, particularly on fast circuits where top speed is vital—a hallmark of the car in recent years. Results peaked at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where Albon secured a brilliant 7th place, followed by the season’s surprise, Franco Colapinto, in 8th.
After a series of underperformances and several costly accidents, Logan Sargeant was replaced mid-season by Argentine rookie Franco Colapinto starting from the Dutch Grand Prix. This marked another bold decision by James Vowles. The timing was no coincidence: as the Williams F1 car regained competitiveness, the focus shifted to the driver.
Franco Colapinto became the standout surprise of the season’s second half. However, the hype from Baku quickly faded due to accidents in São Paulo and Las Vegas, which further strained the team’s already stretched resources.
The São Paulo Grand Prix will go down as one of the worst weekends in Williams’ recent history. On Sunday alone, the team suffered three major incidents: Albon and Colapinto both crashed during the delayed qualifying session, with Colapinto damaging his car again during the race under the safety car. The mechanics, already exhausted by a season plagued with repairs, worked tirelessly before the Las Vegas trip, where Colapinto endured another dramatic crash.
Despite finishing a modest 9th in the Constructors’ Championship, stuck in a no-man’s-land ahead of Sauber and behind RB F1, Williams can look to 2025 with cautious optimism. The arrival of Carlos Sainz from Ferrari marks a significant strategic shift.
While 2024 was a grueling year, it also served as a transitional phase towards a deeper restructuring. With the FW47 promised to be lighter and more agile, and an experienced driver lineup, Williams hopes to build on hard-learned lessons to turn the tide. Yet, all eyes remain firmly set on 2026.
Statistics
| Category | Result |
|---|---|
| Constructors’ Standing | 9th with 17 points |
| Wins | 0 |
| Pole Positions | 0 |
| Podiums | 0 |
| Fastest Laps | 0 |
| Hat Tricks | 0 |
| Grand Slams | 0 |
| Laps Led | 0 |
| Laps Completed | 2,305 (79.81% total) |
Driver Comparisons
Alexander Albon vs. Logan Sargeant
| Category | Result |
|---|---|
| Races | 12/2 in favor of Albon |
| Qualifying | 13/0 in favor of Albon |
Alexander Albon vs. Franco Colapinto
| Category | Result |
|---|---|
| Races | 4/4 (tie) |
| Qualifying | 7/2 in favor of Albon |
- Discover More>Faith and Resilience: Horner’s Scandal Survival at Red Bull
- Follow us on >Facebook and >Twitter for F1 updates
F1 2024 Season Review – Williams F1 F1 2024 Season Review – Williams F1
