Williams’ 2025 Car: A Game-Changer for a Strong Season Start

British racing squad, Williams, has made a remarkable comeback, marking its best start to a Formula 1 season in nearly a decade. After five races, drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz have amassed 25 points – eight more than the team’s total for the entire 2024 campaign.

Short-Term Improvements for Long-Term Success

Williams‘ improvements are a blend of deliberate adjustments to streamline key processes and unintended consequences from comprehensive changes spearheaded by team boss James Vowles, aimed at achieving long-term objectives.

The focus is on enhancing the FW47’s consistency, moving away from its previous lineage of cars that were peaky and sensitive to wind conditions. This transformation allows the 2025 car to perform well across various track types while making it easier for drivers to handle.

Easier to Push the Limits

Speaking ahead of the Miami Grand Prix weekend, Albon highlighted that the car’s improved drivability is crucial. “The biggest thing for me is more just that the car is easier to be on the limit,” he said. “It’s less snappy, more predictable, less sensitive to wind changes, and in general, that makes you able to deliver better laps more consistently.

Despite occasional mistakes, Albon feels that the improved driveability allows him to perform better consistently. “I still make the odd mistake here and there, but I feel like I can do a better job more consistently because the car is just a bit more driveable,” he added.

A Pleasant Surprise in Competitiveness

Albon expressed surprise at the extent of Williams‘ competitiveness improvement, as the car is outperforming what the development tools had predicted. “I was always really confident that we were going to make progress as a team,” he said. “I saw the areas and the philosophy of the car changing, and the ideas we were focusing on for this year. We drove it on the simulator, and it was definitely better, but I think we found more pace in the car than what the simulator told us it would be.

Capitalizing on Current Form

With development largely halted for 2025, Albon emphasizes the importance of scoring points now before midfield rivals introduce upgrades. “Yeah, I feel like there’s a really big emphasis on us to score points right now,” he said. “You don’t know when the next upgrade is going to come on a rival team. We might not always be the fifth quickest car but we are consistently there to score points.

If this was a different year, Albon would have emphasized continued development of the car. However, he acknowledged that this isn’t the case for 2025. “Yeah, I feel like there’s a really big emphasis on us to score points right now,” the Thai driver said. “You don’t know when the next upgrade is going to come on a rival team. We might not always be the fifth quickest car but we are consistently there to score points.