With strong 2025 form and early 2026 focus, Williams F1 aims to reshape its future under Vowles and Mercedes power.
Williams F1’s pace and development signal a serious midfield threat, with Albon and Vowles pushing the team beyond expectations.
Williams F1 was arguably the third-best team on the grid during the last weekend in Imola – Alexander Albon was even disappointed with a fifth-place finish, believing a podium had been within reach.
Williams Leading Midfield Charge
Depending on the circuit, the Grove-based team seems to have pulled ahead, comfortably leading the midfield pack.
“I truly believe we’ve made some progress relative to the field. There are things we’ve been working on in the background that are now delivering results, but nothing can be taken for granted,” said team principal James Vowles at a press conference in Monaco.
“Our goal since the beginning of the year has been to get both cars into the points, which is a major achievement in such a competitive field.”
“In recent races, we haven’t extracted all the points available, but it’s good to see that we’ve been able to perform across different circuits.”
Albon Reaches Peak Form
While Carlos Sainz has clearly stepped up in recent races, it is Alexander Albon who has scored the majority of points for Williams F1. James Vowles has also noticed his winter improvement.
“Without a doubt, he’s in peak form. I remember that on Boxing Day [December 26], he began his physical training. He skipped Christmas lunch and went straight into it.”
“He executes the weekend cleanly from start to finish. No small errors creeping in. He focuses on progressing throughout the weekend.”
“He has the advantage of having the data from a world-class driver (Carlos Sainz) alongside him, which helps elevate his performance. His communication, his simulator work – all of it has improved.”
Unpredictability Defines Monaco Weekend
This weekend in Monaco, however, promises to be unusual: does James Vowles think Williams F1 can perform as well as they did in Imola, judging by free practice?
“I don’t think you can draw too many conclusions from that. The teams are running a) with different fuel loads, and b) with different engine modes.”
“Honestly, if you’re lucky enough to get a clean lap – and there’s a lot of traffic on track – then you have a chance to put your car up there. But it was a sensible starting point.”
“What interests me more is where the car’s balance stands.”
Strategy Chaos Hits Monaco
As a former Mercedes F1 strategist, does James Vowles believe that two pit stops will shake up the entire Monaco race this Sunday?
“My track record at Monaco isn’t the best, so I may not be the right person to ask.”
“I think it means you can no longer just slow the pack from the front. You’ve got to go for it.”
“There will be cars stopping early and that will force you to react. That’s good for where we are. It brings unpredictability.”
“If you listen across the paddock, no one’s really sure what’s going to happen. That’s good for us. We’re here to be a sport and a spectacle above all else, and I think this helps with that.”
The 2026 project not being sacrificed?
If Williams F1 is surprising many by dominating the midfield this year, is it coming at the cost of next year’s car development?
Ahead of the 2026 regulation overhaul, can James Vowles reassure Williams F1 fans?
“I think the reality is, it’s going to be tough. I mean, we’ve been very open about the fact that the other car [2026] entered the wind tunnel very early – for a good reason. And the 2026 project is progressing very well.”
“We had to do this because we’re perhaps in a different position than most teams where this blank sheet – we’re carrying over absolutely nothing – gives us the opportunity to completely reset and fix things we maybe should’ve addressed years ago, but are difficult to do in the current cycle.”
“So that’s our reasoning. Without a doubt, you can see the development rate is high, and the field is tighter than it’s ever been.”
“What I can say is there are a few things that may or may not work in our favour. Barcelona brings a new front wing for everyone under the regulations. So we’ll see what happens as a result of that.”
“And we have a few small items later in the season we’re currently working on. But the way we’re developing is about finding concepts and ideas that will carry into next year to ensure we use this learning in the best way for 2026.”
“And if you get too caught up in the present, you won’t be able to do that.”
Toto Wolff praises Williams F1’s progress
Former boss and superior of James Vowles at Mercedes F1, how does Toto Wolff view the progress of the Grove-based team (where he himself once started as an investor in F1)? Does he see them as a threat for 2026 – or even this year, as Williams F1 outperformed Mercedes F1 in Imola?
“Williams isn’t really an outsider anymore. James has done a very good job with his team.”
“They’re playing, maybe not at the front, but neither are we, with McLaren and Max up there. And it’s always beneficial because they’re carrying over a fair amount of wind tunnel time from last year.”
And what does he think about James Vowles’ strategy to already shift focus away from the current car?
“Switching to 2026 is simply the right decision to make. And when you look at the development slopes of early gains, every week on a new car the gains are just magnified compared to what you’d get under mature regulations.”
“You can make development leaps tenfold, but if you go in the wrong direction, obviously that won’t help.”
“But if you make the right decisions and use that extra wind tunnel time and faster learning, it can be a huge advantage for next year – especially if you don’t have to worry about the power unit, fuel, oil, and those kinds of things.”
Vowles Builds Williams Foundations
Sitting alongside Toto Wolff at the press conference, James Vowles echoed his former boss’s comments.
“We have to be realistic. The reason we’re doing this is to build a solid foundation so we can start to move forward.”
“But we’re fortunate to have the Mercedes power unit behind us, which is… when we work together, we truly operate as one unit, and that’s nice to see. We’re a customer team, but we feel integrated.”
“But we have to be realistic about it. Our development pace and efficiency won’t match those around us while we’re still in a process of correction and improvement.”
“I’m really pleased with the team’s performance. It’s never down to just one individual. It’s about how the thousand people pull together. But we still have a long way to go before we’re anywhere near the front.”
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