Williams warns Baku upgrades ‘wont be enough for points’

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Williams will head to Azerbaijan next week with a significant upgrade package in its crates for its troubled FW48, but team boss James Vowles has already warned what the new hardware will realistically be able to deliver.

The Grove outfit has endured a bruising 2026 campaign, with the shortcomings of its original car continuing to dictate its fortunes deep into the season.

Williams arrived at pre-season testing in Bahrain late and with an overweight machine and has since managed just 11 points from the opening 14 rounds, leaving the team ninth in the constructors’ championship, ahead only of Aston Martin and Cadillac.

Its Azerbaijan Grand Prix package is therefore being introduced with an obvious need for improvement.

But Vowles is taking care to temper expectations, making clear that the latest developments are unlikely to suddenly transform drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon into regular points contender.

Speaking on The Fast And The Curious podcast, Vowles was straightforward about the long shadow cast by decisions made months ago.

"It's been a tough year, and it will continue to be a tough year to the end," the Briton said.

"There's just no two ways about it. A lot of the mistakes that we made across the winter period will stay with us all the way until the end of this year. And what we're trying to do is put ourselves back above water by the time we get into next year's car."

Managing expectations in Azerbaijan

Bringing a major aerodynamic and mechanical package to Baku is a necessary step, but Vowles certainly isn’t selling the update as a breakthrough.

"There'll be small steps this year, but they won't be enough to put us to even the bare minimum of where I'd like to be, which is scoring points for a weekend," he continued.

"That simply is not the reality of where we are today."

The message is clear: while the new parts may incrementally refine performance or offer crucial data for future design paths, fans hoping for an immediate surge into top-ten contention will likely be disappointed.

The long climb ahead

For Williams, the remainder of the calendar is less about chasing immediate accolades and more about steadying the ship before turning full focus to the next project cycle.

Rebuilding a competitive baseline requires patience, and Vowles is pragmatic about the effort required to lift the team back toward the midfield pack.

"For next year, though, do I think we'll move forward on the grid? Yes. It's hard to move backwards on the grid. We'll move forward on the grid as a result of it, but it will still be a tough old slog,” he said.

As the paddock prepares for the streets of Baku, Williams approaches the weekend eyes wide open – recognizing that meaningful progress is a slow, methodical process that no single update package can shortcut.

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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.