Williams Team Principal James Vowles has stated that the team’s latest Formula 1 upgrade package, introduced at the British Grand Prix earlier this month, failed to meet performance expectations. The new front wing, fast-tracked for Silverstone, did not provide the anticipated gains.
Vowles conceded the upgrade had ‘nowhere near’ the effect required, despite diligent efforts from the factory. The on-track results did not align with data from wind tunnel and simulator work.
The team has initiated a two-week internal review of its development program. This comprehensive assessment will examine performance across the entire 2026 season, not solely focusing on the Silverstone event.
Williams currently sits eighth in the constructors’ championship with 11 points after nine races. This marks a significant decline from the 54 points accumulated at the same stage in the 2025 season.
The FW48 car began the 2026 season late, missing the Barcelona shakedown, and was notably overweight. Reducing this weight deficit has not yielded the expected performance improvements.
Carlos Sainz, who finished 17th at the British Grand Prix, expressed concerns that the team was further off the pace at Silverstone despite weight reduction efforts. Alex Albon retired from the race after a lap one incident.
Vowles acknowledged that the rate of bringing performance to the car is currently insufficient for Williams to progress. He noted that Silverstone exposed additional ‘unknowns’ for the team.
‘I would say right now what’s clear is our rate of bringing performance to the car – which is a little bit nuanced in how I mean that – is not at the rate required in order for us to move forward,’ Vowles stated.
The internal review aims to understand what succeeded and what failed, informing development plans for upcoming races such as the Belgian Grand Prix and the Hungarian Grand Prix, as well as preparations for the 2027 season.
Williams is targeting a ‘reset’ at the Belgian Grand Prix, scheduled for July 17-19. A more substantial ‘B-spec’ version of the FW48 is anticipated for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in September.
