From the moment James Vowles assumed leadership of Williams, the team’s objective has been clear: it’s not about immediate results, but about looking ahead, improving steadily, and growing in the long term. Part of this approach has translated into infrastructure investments, with new tools introduced at the factory to close a technological gap that had built up over nearly twenty years. However, structures alone aren’t enough—getting the right people is just as essential.
For this reason, Williams has consistently stated that its focus is on the following year, at least until the 2026 regulations are finalized. These represent a real opportunity to start from scratch and begin reaping the full benefits of the investments made in recent years—benefits that are already beginning to show.
The FW47, this season’s car, is proving to be solid and reliable, both in terms of performance and build quality—one of the areas highlighted by Vowles even before the car hit the track, knowing full well that the progress would be across the board.
Nonetheless, even though the car is currently fighting at the sharp end of the midfield—sitting fifth in the Constructors’ Championship—Williams has confirmed it will not fight tooth and nail to defend its 2025 results. The focus remains firmly on 2026 and the new regulations, with no deviation from the initial plan.
In a midfield battle often decided by hundredths rather than tenths of a second, the temptation to continue developing the 2025 car would have been strong. Especially since many teams will also end their current programs early to focus resources on the future.
On one hand, this decision gives Williams a competitive advantage by not losing months of development compared to its rivals. On the other hand, the temptation to hold onto fifth place—especially considering the year-end prize money, potentially worth millions of dollars—was real. But Williams chose not to be drawn into that fight, halting development of the FW47 to focus entirely on 2026.
The Grove-based team is growing, but it has also adopted a new philosophy, abandoning the short-term mindset that James Vowles has always sought to leave behind. “If necessary, I would have pulled the car out of the wind tunnel myself. There’s only one way to win: you can’t let yourself get trapped in the present,” James Vowles explained.
“Let’s be clear: we’ve struggled because for twenty years we only thought in the short term. Partly for economic reasons, partly for others. But to build a solid foundation, you need investments that look at least five years into the future,” the Team Principal added. One of the points James Vowles has often emphasized is that in many structural areas, Williams was twenty years behind the competition.
The fact that, until 2023, all components were still being managed using Excel spreadsheets is just the most emblematic example of a difficult situation. Nonetheless, progress in many areas has allowed a huge leap forward.
“It wasn’t at all difficult to decide to focus on 2026,” James Vowles continued. “One of the reasons I accepted this role is that from the start, we had a very transparent conversation: this would take time, these would be the necessary investments, and we couldn’t let ourselves be guided by short-term gains. Everything was already shared and approved.” That conversation involved not only the ownership but also the sponsors who chose to support the project.
This doesn’t mean 2025 has been abandoned. Some developments will still arrive, stemming from work already completed before the FW47 model was pulled from the wind tunnel. That’s normal, as certain components take weeks—or even months—to be approved, which is why it’s crucial to turn this part of the season into championship points.
There is also still room for improvement in terms of setup. Certain driving characteristics—particularly those criticized by Carlos Sainz in low-speed sections, a trait that has marked Williams cars in recent years—won’t be addressed in 2025, as they would require investments the team is unwilling to make for this car, despite the progress already achieved.
“If I had to rate it, it used to be a problem at 8 or 9 out of 10; now we’re down to about 4 thanks to the improvements. The goal is to get to 0. In other words, we’re improving the situation, but we haven’t solved it completely yet.”
James Vowles remains confident that the team can still maximize the potential of the current package by working on the setup: “The car still has some characteristics that fall short of expectations. The balance isn’t yet ideal for the drivers, and we’re partly limited by the tools currently at our disposal.”
“There are some aspects we can address this year, but others will require a shift in direction looking toward the future. I believe we can ‘patch up’ certain problems, but not solve them at the root. We can apply fixes, but not fully cure the issue in 2024.”
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