Williams sets date for ‘striking’ livery reveal for 2026 FW48

40

Williams Racing is ready to step up to the next level as Formula 1 accelerates toward a bold new era.

The Grove-based team has confirmed it will unveil the “striking” racing livery of its 2026 challenger, the FW48, on Tuesday, February 3, offering fans their first proper glimpse of how Williams intends to look – and feel – under the sport’s sweeping new regulations.

With anticipation building across F1’s fan base, the reveal marks a key moment in Williams’ journey as it prepares for one of the biggest technical resets in the history of Grand Prix racing.

The FW48 will be Williams’ first car designed entirely around Formula 1’s 2026 rules, which promise shorter, lighter machines engineered to promote closer, more competitive racing. For Williams, the regulation overhaul represents more than just change – it is opportunity.

Before the main unveiling, the team will kick off the year in a distinctly fan-focused way. Williams will run a special, fan-designed livery during pre-season testing in Barcelona later this month.

The one-off design is the result of a global vote that saw nearly 55,000 fans from 162 countries have their say, underlining the team’s push to bring supporters closer to the heart of its journey.

That temporary look will soon give way to the FW48’s full-season colours on February 3, when Williams reveals the design it believes can symbolise both ambition and resurgence.

Momentum Meets Expectation

Williams enters 2026 carrying significant momentum after enjoying its strongest campaign in nine years. A fifth-place finish in the 2025 Constructors’ Championship, 137 points on the board, podium finishes in Baku and Qatar, and a maiden Sprint podium in Austin all served as tangible proof of progress.

Now, with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz forming one of the grid’s strongest driver pairings, the team is setting its sights higher.

The FW48 – and its soon-to-be-revealed striking livery – represents the next step in Williams’ long-term mission to return to the sharp end of Formula 1.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.