Williams Racing entered 2024 with cautious optimism, aiming to build on prior progress. Instead, it was a season defined by frustration and drama, with only brief flashes of promise.
Ninth in Formula 1's Constructors’ standings with 17 points might not seem disastrous, but the team's 29-point gap to Visa Cash App RB in eighth position underscored Williams' struggles.
The Grove-based outfit's most glaring issue in the first part of its campaign was its car's weight, which severely hampered performance, particularly in slower corners.
The FW46's sluggishness, combined with frequent crashes, disrupted race results and derailed the team’s development. Repair costs further strained finances, limiting Williams’ ability to implement meaningful upgrades.
In hindsight, the Australian Grand Prix epitomized what would become the team’s plight.
A crash in FP1 at Albert Park left Alex Albon’s chassis beyond repair, forcing him into Logan Sargeant’s car for the weekend. This underscored the team’s dependence on Albon while highlighting forced poor contingency planning.
Despite the challenges, Williams introduced a significant upgrade package at Zandvoort that evolved the FW46's aerodynamics. This paid dividends in Azerbaijan, where Albon and rookie Franco Colapinto delivered a double-points finish with P7 and P8 - their best result of the season.
Yet, such highlights were rare, with operational errors and reliability issues plaguing the team.
Albon remained Williams’ backbone, providing valuable technical feedback and consistent qualifying performances that masked the car’s shortcomings. Points finishes in Monaco and Silverstone reinforced his importance, helping keep the team afloat.
Mid-season, Logan Sargeant was put out of his misery after a series of crashes and underwhelming performances, and replaced by Colapinto.
The young Argentinean adapted quickly, scoring five points in nine races and injecting energy into the team. While his aggressive style occasionally backfired, his performance in Azerbaijan demonstrated his ability to deliver under pressure.
Team principal James Vowles often stresses the importance of a long-term vision, but 2024 exposed the challenges of executing such a strategy. Operational errors, car reliability issues, and a constant drain on resources due to crashes kept Williams anchored near the back of the grid.
Ultimately, while the British outfit showed glimpses of potential, tangible progress appeared hard to come by. For now, Grove’s green shoots of recovery remain buried under layers of setbacks.
What's in store for 2025?
Will 2025 finally bring a breakthrough for Williams? Only time will tell. But the team will head into the new year with renewed hope, driven by the arrival of Carlos Sainz, who joins the team after leaving Ferrari.
The experienced Spaniard brings not only proven racecraft but also invaluable technical expertise that could be pivotal in shaping Williams’ future.
Sainz’s ability to develop a car and extract consistent performance is a key asset for a team that has struggled in the regularity department
Along with Sainz and Albon, Williams now boasts one of the grid’s most well-rounded driver line-ups, blending former's talent and methodical approach with the latter's adaptability and speed.
Vowles has highlighted Sainz’s role in strengthening the team’s long-term strategy, while the four-time Grand Prix winner himself has expressed his determination and optimism about helping Williams rebuild its legacy.
“This is a team with great potential. I’m here to help unlock it,” Sainz said.
With the FW47 promising to be lighter and more agile, the Spaniard's arrival could mark the beginning of Williams’ resurgence – if the team can deliver on its lofty ambitions.
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