Williams still seeking to iron out ‘nasty elements’ from FW47

Williams team principal James Vowles has hailed the team’s impressive progress this season but acknowledged that the FW47 still carries some lingering flaws that need to be addressed.

After nine rounds, Williams is enjoying its strongest start to a season in nearly a decade. The British outfit sits fifth in the constructors’ championship with 54 points, its best tally after nine races since 2016.

Lead driver Alex Albon has amassed 42 points, placing him eighth in the drivers’ standings and just six behind Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli.

Despite the significant step forward, Vowles admits the current package remains imperfect, particularly in challenging areas like high-speed corners – a weakness exposed at the recent Spanish Grand Prix.

'A Good Step in the Right Direction'

"I'm proud of the progress the team is making, and obviously, having two world-class drivers helps a lot," Vowles told the media in Barcelona.

"We've developed the car, and it has come alive. We've made some small mechanical improvements, so it is a good step in the right direction, but we haven't eliminated all of the nasty elements that are in our car."

While the 2025 campaign is shaping up to be Williams’ best in years, Vowles stressed that the main developmental focus remains on the major regulatory overhaul coming in 2026.

Eyes on 2026 Reset

Asked if Williams intended to further develop its current car, Vowles admitted it would be “tough” given the amount of resources that have already been channeled into its 2026 project.

"That is the reality behind it, and we've been very candid that the '26 car was in the wind tunnel very early on," he explained.

"The 2026 project is going well, we had to do that because we're in a different position, perhaps to most, where that clean sheet of paper – we're not carrying anything across at all – gives us an ability to do a full reset.

"We can fix some things that perhaps we should have done a few years ago, but it's very difficult to do in that cycle; that's our reasoning behind it."

With clear strides made and a long-term vision in place, Williams appears to be laying the foundation for a return to consistent competitiveness – one step at a time.

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