Williams does not expect the upcoming updates to be enough to put the team back in the constant fight for points in Formula 1 in 2026. James Vowles acknowledged that the problems accumulated during the initial development of the car will continue to affect the team until the end of the season.
Read more F1: Stella highlights resource investment in Piastri to resolve 2026 difficulties
The British team will have a significant update package at the Azerbaijan GP, but the Williams boss does not see an immediate change in the scenario. According to Vowles, the remaining gains this year will only be partial, while the main goal is to make up ground for the next car’s project.
“It has been a difficult year, and it will continue to be a difficult year until the end. There is no other way to put it,” Vowles said on The Fast And The Curious podcast. The executive explained that some of the mistakes made before the start of the current season will have prolonged consequences.
“Many of the mistakes we made during the off-season period will stay with us until the end of this year. What we are trying to do is get ourselves back above the waterline when we get to next year’s car,” he said.
Read more F1: Process puts finances of group owning the Cadillac team under investigation
Williams’ difficulties began even before the start of the 2026 season, when the car arrived at the pre-season tests in Bahrain overweight. After fourteen rounds, the team has scored only eleven points and is in ninth place in the constructors’ championship, ahead only of Aston Martin and Cadillac.
Vowles confirmed that there will be ‘small steps’ of evolution still in 2026, but made it clear that they should not significantly change the current situation: “They will not be enough to get us even close to the minimum I would like, which is scoring points on a weekend. That simply is not the reality of where we are today,” he added.
For 2027, however, the executive expects a recovery on the grid: “Do I think we will move up the grid? Yes. It is hard to go backwards. We will move up the grid as a result of this, but it will still be a very tough battle,” Vowles concluded. Williams’ update package will be introduced at the Azerbaijan GP, scheduled for the weekend of September 24 to 26 at the Baku circuit.
Read more NASCAR: Gabriel Casagrande approves experience in Bristol and faces marathon to speed up in Curvelo
