Williams Team Principal James Vowles has spoken about a clever trick Mercedes has developed with its engine, highlighting the causes behind the performance deficit. Despite using the same power unit, Mercedes has managed to extract extra performance, and customer teams McLaren and Alpine are still trying to understand how to fully exploit the potential of the Brixworth power unit. James Vowles confirmed that Mercedes has provided all the necessary technical information.
In recent days, after the Melbourne Grand Prix, Andrea Stella had reiterated that Mercedes had not given enough details to customer teams. This debate has been ongoing since the Bahrain tests, with the McLaren Team Principal appearing dissatisfied with how the German manufacturer handled communication on this front.
For Williams, however, there has been a clear admission of the team’s own limitations. The Grove-based squad had a turbulent start to the season, but various efforts are underway to improve the performance of the FW48.
Vowles on the Mercedes power unit
The Williams Team Principal discussed the Mercedes engine trick that his team still struggles to exploit. At Melbourne, the supremacy of the Brixworth engine, particularly in terms of battery management, was evident. Despite having access to the same data, customer teams are unable to use the power unit as effectively.
“I’m sure Mercedes gave us the ability to do what they are doing, because they’re very good at it, but right now I don’t know how to do it,” James Vowles explained. “It’s up to us to try to work around the problem, but I’d say we have to acknowledge that we, as Williams, don’t have their level of sophistication or technology, and that’s definitely our own fault.”
The Briton also partially responded to remarks made by Andrea Stella in Australia: “Mercedes is incredibly fair to their customer teams, and we have access to everything they have. I’m just a bit shocked at how much smarter they are,” he added.
Williams’ challenges at the start of 2026
Williams has not started the new season in the best way. The team had high hopes for this technical cycle, especially following a positive trend leading up to 2026. As the Barcelona tests approached, the first project delays became evident, followed by challenges related to the FW48’s on-track performance.
James Vowles admitted that the team is working to fix the car’s shortcomings. One of the main issues is the excessive weight, which directly impacts track performance. Drivers Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz have stepped in to support the team and help recover performance in every possible way.
The technical divide between works teams and customers is becoming a matter of software sophistication rather than just hardware supply. James Vowles’ admission highlights that even with a championship-winning engine in the back of the car, the ability to “talk” to that engine and manage its complex electrical harvesting is the new frontier of F1 performance. For Williams, the challenge in Shanghai and beyond will be bridging this digital gap. If they can unlock the “smart” side of the Mercedes PU, Albon and Sainz might finally have the tools to show their true pace. The hardware is there; now the brain of the FW48 needs to catch up.
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