Williams brings updated FW47 to Spa: Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon express hope ahead of Belgian Grand Prix
The historic Williams Racing Formula 1 team, based in Grove, is heading to the iconic Spa-Francorchamps circuit with an upgraded version of the FW47, aiming to finish the first half of the 2025 Formula 1 season on a high note before the extended summer break.
Heading to Spa with car updates
After a two-week break, the Formula 1 championship is ready to enter its final sprint before the long summer shutdown. The F1 paddock is preparing for two races in the span of seven days: the first at Spa-Francorchamps—where the Sprint race format will also be in place—and the second at the Hungaroring in Budapest. Following the Hungarian Grand Prix, teams will go on a break until the end of August.
Several constructors are bringing technical updates to their cars for this double-header. While much of the spotlight is focused on Scuderia Ferrari and its new rear suspension package, Williams is also introducing important changes to its FW47 in a bid to improve performance.
The Grove-based squad currently sits fifth in the Constructors’ Championship standings. However, in the last five Grands Prix, the driver pairing of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon has managed to collect just 8 points combined. With this performance dip in mind, the goal is to reverse the trend and return to the points-paying positions starting from the action-packed Belgian Grand Prix weekend.
Statements from Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon
Carlos Sainz, who joined Williams at the beginning of the 2025 season, acknowledged the unique demands of the Spa circuit, saying:
“Spa always presents both challenges and opportunities—whether it’s the track layout or the unpredictable weather conditions, it’s always an exciting weekend. With the Sprint format added this year, we hope it opens up more chances for us. We’re bringing a few updated packages to the car, so it will be interesting to see how they perform on a demanding track like this one.”
Alex Albon, now in his third season with Williams, echoed his teammate’s enthusiasm and outlined the team’s preparation ahead of the weekend:
“Spa is one of the highlights of the Formula 1 calendar, so I’m really looking forward to getting back on track. It’s always an exciting and unpredictable race, and traditionally it’s been a circuit where we’ve been quite strong, so I feel optimistic. We’ve had a short break between Silverstone and Spa to reset and better understand the car, building on everything we’ve learned from recent races. It’s great to see some new updates arriving for the car, and hopefully, they’ll help us finish the first half of the season on a positive note.”
With new upgrades being tested on one of the most technically challenging tracks of the year, Williams aims to gain crucial points and momentum before heading into the mid-season pause.
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