James Vowles clarifies Williams’ long-term strategy and details the work being done by the team ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season and the arrival of the new regulations.
The Formula 1 summer break has just begun, and this is a moment when teams reflect on the first part of the championship and draw early conclusions. For Williams, it is Team Principal James Vowles himself who has outlined the current state of the team and the direction they are taking in view of 2026, when the sport will undergo one of its most significant regulatory changes in years.
The British outfit currently sits in fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship. After a strong start to the season, the European rounds have cost the team some valuable points, and they now feel the growing threat of Aston Martin and Kick Sauber in the standings. However, the upcoming races could play to the strengths of their car, particularly at historic tracks like Monza in Italy and Baku in Azerbaijan, where Williams has traditionally performed well.
Williams already working with 2026 in mind
In a video released by Williams in collaboration with their sponsor Kraken, James Vowles addressed several topics, including preparations for 2026. The coming years will bring sweeping changes to Formula 1, but Vowles believes these also represent a massive opportunity for growth: “Our focus is on next year and beyond. We will not invest resources to make small, track-specific improvements for certain circuits in 2025.”
The recent round in Budapest highlighted some clear weaknesses in the FW47 chassis: “There are corners where you have to endure sustained G-forces for a long period of time. This is a weakness we have already seen in Barcelona and will face again in Qatar. It’s a known flaw in our current car, but it’s something we will not fix this season. The 2026 car will feature elements that will address it.”
James Vowles also confirmed that the current car specification will remain unchanged for the rest of the campaign: “The car we have now is the car we will have until the end of the season. Next year represents a blank sheet of paper, a chance to start fresh and do a great job. That does not mean the rest of the 2025 season will be sacrificed. We must ensure that reliability, strategies, drivers and every other element are all aligned to maximise our points tally.”
True to his reputation for direct and transparent communication, James Vowles also stressed that Williams will continue to run Mercedes power units, which are rumoured to be among the strongest available for the next competitive cycle. The Grove-based squad has made heavy investments over recent years, both in personnel and infrastructure, and is finally beginning to see those efforts pay off. The 2026 season will reveal whether the upward trend can continue under the new regulations and with a fully developed concept from a renewed Williams.
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