In Last Word On Sport’s series of 2024 F1 Reviews, we turn to Williams, who faced one of their worst seasons yet.
Trials, Triumphs, and Troubles: Williams’ 2024 F1 Season in Review
The 2024 Formula 1 season was a challenging one for Williams Racing. They ended the year ninth in the Constructors’ standings with 17 points – 29 points behind RB in eighth.
Despite moments of promise, the season was marred by inconsistencies, technical setbacks, and a mid-season driver change that reflected the team’s search for solutions.
FW46: Where Did It Go Wrong?
After scoring 28 points in the 2034 Constructors’ standings, there were expectations of an upward trajectory from Williams in 2024.
However, they have yet to see this progress.
Their biggest priority for the FW46 was to refine its characteristics and ensure it was well-driven across all conditions. But transforming it into a points-scoring car has been their biggest challenge yet.
Alex Albon had previously commented that the simulator work had shown improvement in areas such as low speed and braking.
However, translating these improvements into the track became another challenge they had to endure.
Upgrades That Defined Their Season
Their major upgrade package introduced in Zandvoort helped to improve the performance of the FW46. They particularly brought huge changes to the car’s aerodynamic profile by primarily adjusting the floor.
This ended up bringing some progress in the next few rounds such as in Azerbaijan. Consequently, Williams scored their best result of the season with P7 and P8.
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Alex Albon, Logan Sargaent and Franco Colapinto: Trials of the trio
Albon: A Valuable Teammate
As the most experienced driver in Williams’ 2024 line-up, Alex Albon carried the weight of expectation on his shoulders.
Tasked with guiding the team forward and scoring crucial points, Albon’s expertise proved invaluable in both car development and overall team progress. His detailed feedback played a key role in addressing the car’s weaknesses.
However, Albon’s season was not without setbacks. A string of mechanical failures and incidents with other drivers repeatedly denied him valuable points.
In Bahrain, mechanical issues hampered his race, while collisions with Kevin Magnussen in Saudi Arabia and Carlos Sainz in Canada further added to his frustration.
Despite these challenges, Albon showcased his quality, with strong qualifying performances. His efforts were rewarded with Williams’ first points of the season in Monaco. This was followed by another solid points finish at Silverstone, his home Grand Prix, affirming his importance to the team.
Williams’ decision to extend the British-Thai driver’s contract to a multi-year deal reflects their faith in his abilities.
Sargaent: Underwhelming and Unfortunate
After scoring his only F1 career points in Austin last year, Logan Sargeant was kept on for 2024 hoping he would do better this time.
However, his frequent mistakes on track did not help him to remain in the team much longer.
Crashes after crashes lowered the expectations of him extending his stay in the team, much less in Formula One.
The tipping point came mid-season when Williams decided to part ways with Sargeant. His sacking, though disappointing, was unsurprising to many who had watched his difficult campaign unfold.
Despite flashes of potential, Sargeant’s failure to deliver results consistently and the mounting pressure for Williams to progress made the decision inevitable.
Team Principal James Vowles emphasized the need to prioritize Williams’ long-term vision and the urgency to return to competitiveness, justifying Sargeant’s departure.
Colapinto: Fresh with Potential
Franco Colapinto entered the scene as a mid-season replacement, taking on the challenging task of scoring points for Williams in the final nine races of the 2024 season.
With limited preparation time, Colapinto faced significant pressure, yet his raw talent and determination made him a worthy investment for the team.
Fresh from a successful stint in Formula 2, the young Argentine quickly adapted to the demands of F1. Despite the high expectations placed upon him, Colapinto delivered, scoring five points in just nine races – a notable achievement when compared to Logan Sargeant’s two-year tally.
He continued to prove his talents on track, which ended up attracting interest from other teams like Red Bull for a potential full-time role with them.
However, as the season drew to a close, Colapinto’s aggressive driving style sometimes backfired, leading to incidents such as collisions in Brazil and Las Vegas.
Despite these setbacks, his brief stint showcased undeniable promise and suggested that his future in F1 is bright.
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Best Performance of 2024
Azerbaijan Grand Prix was Williams’ best performance this season. The upgrades brought along in Zandvoort were a major aid for their gradual shift in progress.
Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto started the race in the points, showcasing consistent race pace that kept them in contention throughout. Both drivers demonstrated skilful racecraft, capitalizing on every opportunity to climb the order after their pit stops.
The turning point came in the penultimate lap when a dramatic collision between Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez created an opening. Colapinto seized the moment, vaulting into P8, while Albon capitalized further, finishing ahead of his teammate in P7.
This double-points finish marked Williams’ best result of the season and highlighted the potential of the car and its drivers when circumstances aligned.
Worst Performance of 2024
The Australian Grand Prix was Williams’ most challenging weekend of the 2024 F1 season.
The troubles began in FP1 when Alex Albon crashed heavily, prompting red flags and leaving the team scrambling for solutions.
With a severely damaged chassis and insufficient time to repair it, Williams made the difficult decision to reassign Albon to Sargeant’s car for the remainder of the weekend.
This choice reflected the team’s reliance on Albon’s experience and potential to salvage points in adverse circumstances.
While Albon gave a valiant effort during the race, finishing P12, it wasn’t enough to secure points.
Plenty of Weaknesses to Address
From seventh to ninth in the Constructors’ standings, this was a major slump for the Grove-based team compared to the previous season.
One of the most glaring issues of Williams’ 2024 F1 season was the car’s weight, which significantly hampered performance.
Additionally, the huge number of crashes over the season not only impacted their results but also disrupted the car’s development trajectory. The financial toll of repairs further strained resources, limiting the team’s ability to implement meaningful upgrades and stage a competitive comeback.
Their entire operation requires a huge overhaul if they were to fully focus on regularly collecting points and entering the midfield fight next season.
Heading into the next season, accompanied with a new driver-line up, Williams are expected to find the key ingredient that will help them to evolve into a much stronger and more stable team.
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