As the 2025 season draws to a close, Williams are putting an emphasis on experimenting with set-up and optimising their operational procedures. This initiative is being pushed by team principal James Vowles, who believes these changes are necessary ahead of next season.
In many respects, Williams have surpassed all expectations this year. Sitting fifth in the standings, the British team are on track for their best F1 result in almost a decade.
Carlos Sainz’s podium in Baku added the cherry on the cake for what has been a fantastic year for James Vowles’ team.
Despite this, the former Mercedes strategist continues to identify areas for improvement. Among them is the set-ups utilised as specific tracks where Williams have traditionally struggled.
18.04.2025. Formula 1 World Championship.
Vowles calls for Williams to improve at weaker tracks
Williams have been regular features in the top 10 this season, with the FW47 consistently at the front of the midfield. At certain venues, like Miami and Baku, Williams have even managed to go toe-to-toe with the big names.
Despite focusing almost exclusively on 2026, Williams managed to produce a very competitive package this season.
Virtually no updates have arrived from the factory in Grove this season, with most engineers solely on the new regulations. Still, thanks to beginning work on the FW47 early last season, James Vowles’ personnel are enjoying a very solid season.
At the same time, Vowles did not leave Mercedes to lead Williams into fifth. His objective is to win Championships, and therefore he is not satisfied with where his team is.
One of the main weaknesses at Williams is that specific circuits, most notably Barcelona and Hungary, have presented themselves as ‘bogey’ tracks. These are circuits where they routinely struggle, and this is something Vowles wants to rectify before 2026:
“What are we doing going forward, which is the main point behind this – is quite a revision with how we’re going to work with setup with Alex.
“I think there’s a good direction that we [can] establish post-Mexico, as a result of that.
“For me, it’s about setting the foundations right for 2026. We need to make sure that our communications, our operations, the way that we’re really extracting performance from the car trackside – and points – is an improvement over where we are before.
“And it gives us an opportunity across these four races to do exactly that.”
18.05.2025. Formula 1 World Championship.
The challenge of keeping positive momentum
For the first time in recent memory, Williams have all the pieces needed to become a top team. From their driver line-up to modernised infrastructure and growing workforce, there are plenty of positives to look at.
To some extent, this has seen Williams make unexpected progress in 2025 – which was somewhat written off before the season began.
Ironically, this puts the Grove-based outfit under more pressure to optimise their performance next year. Assuming they retain fifth place this season, 2026 will only be a step forward if they overtake one of the big teams.
In this sense, the British outfit understand there is no room for complacency if they want to hit their ambitious goals.
Main photo: Williams media gallery
