Williams in the News: Positivity abounds as 2025 draws into view

The Australian Grand Prix is just over a week away, as the excitement and anticipation for 2025 continues to build.

So it is perhaps unsurprising that the coverage of Atlassian Williams Racing this week has largely been focused on the season ahead.

Here’s what the media have been saying over the last few days…

There is plenty of positivity surrounding Williams at present — both for the upcoming campaign and in the years to follow.

Team Principal James Vowles embodies that mindset, which was evident in his extensive interview with Rolling Stone.

Speaking about how competitive the team could be in the long term, he said:

“We had a run where without question we didn’t have the investment we needed to be competing at the front, but the world’s changed and we’re now in a situation where we have absolutely got the right investment.

“We’ve got the right drive and we’re here to win multiple World Championships and if this year has shown you anything, it’s McLaren, a team that was to a certain extent, laughed at two years ago has won the World Championship.

“It’s a beacon and it’s an aspiration, but it’s the path that we’re on as well.”

And James explained why fans new to the sport should choose the team as their own, adding:

“Listen, if you want to follow Formula 1, great, because I think the sport is fantastic, but if you want to follow Williams, even better, because it’s got such a load of heritage and it will be the biggest sports transformation taking place over the next few years.”

But the 45-year-old did temper expectations for this season somewhat, in a separate interview with Newsweek.

“I will turn up at every race, and the drivers will and the team will, wanting every point we can scrap,” he explained.

“But there's a but to it, our ‘26 car has been in the wind tunnel already since the first date it possibly could be, and will remain in the wind tunnel because we have so much that we still have to transform within the organisation.

“So, we will be better because we're just evolving as an organisation.
We're bigger, we have better structure, we have better people around us, we have a very strong driver line up that will push us forward anyway in 2025, but it is managing the world's expectations.”

Those external expectations were on display this week, when McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella talked up the FW47’s performance in pre-season testing — as reported on F1i.com.

“I’ve seen that in terms of one-lap pace in addition to the top four that seem to be certainly Williams, very competitive,” he said.

“I’m really stating the obvious because I’m sure everyone will have seen the data. They are the same data that I look at.”

But Carlos Sainz has downplayed such lofty ambitions somewhat, when responding to Stella’s comments in Motorsport Week.

“I think that’s why you call him [Stella] my friend,” Carlos said.

“We always speak well about one another because I think we wish each other well.

“In his head I think he also would like to see Williams up there this year, but I think it’s honestly speaking a bit too soon for Williams yet.

“I don’t think we’ve done the necessary step to be fighting with the top teams this year.

“For sure we’ve improved the car and we’re going in the right direction, but first of all it’s too early days to tell.”

Alex Albon also offered his thoughts on the season ahead to Motorsport Week — and reiterated that Williams’ primary focus is on 2026.

Responding to a question about whether there will be more updates this season than last year, he said:

“We’ll have to wait and see, I think the big focus is on next year.

“The more time you take doing updates and upgrades for this year, you’re going to jeopardise next year. You’re going to reduce the personnel that you can spend on that car.

“The aim for us is to be a top team and to do that, but we’re not going to spend too much time focussing on this year’s car.”

He was optimistic about the FW47’s potential, though, adding:

“I think we know the areas we need to work on.

“I think there’s just some new things, new software, new areas to focus on, which has changed a little bit the balance of the car.

“As you can see, I think, just as a general feeling, the car’s in a much better position than last year.”