Williams is the second team to unveil its F1 2025 challenger, with Alex Albon and new recruit Carlos Sainz putting the FW47 through its paces in a shakedown.
The 2025 Williams F1 FW47 car is making its debut on home soil in Silverstone, sporting a special one-off colour scheme, ahead of the grid-wide livery launch event taking place on February 18 in London.
The unveiling of the F1 2025 challenger marks another step in Williams’ ambitious rebuild under Dorilton Capital, the investment firm that took control in 2020, and team principal James Vowles, aiming to restore the team to its former glory after years spent struggling at the back of the pack.
Earlier this week Williams agreed a deal with Atlassian to be their title sponsor. A multi-year contract was signed.
A step forward under Vowles
Williams entered a rebuilding phase in 2023 under ex-Mercedes strategist Vowles, who took over from Jost Capito. Despite having limited resources and being in the early stages of restructuring, the team showed noticeable progress compared to previous years.
Following Nicholas Latifi’s exit from the team, Williams promoted another one of their academy drivers, Logan Sargeant, to partner Albon for 2023.
The majority of the points came courtesy of strong performances from Albon, who consistently maximised the potential of the FW45, securing points in Canada, Silverstone, and Monza.
Unfortunately, Sargeant endured a difficult rookie campaign, with the American often lagging behind his more experienced teammate and struggling to score points. Although he began to develop a reputation for crashes and driver errors, the team opted to give Sargeant a second chance, retaining him for 2024.
Williams finished the year on a high, sitting 7th in the Constructors’ Championship; their best finish since 2017. Buoyed by a successful season, expectations were cautiously optimistic for 2024.
A regression in form
The first signs of trouble appeared already in pre-season testing, with the FW46 being substantially overweight on launch. Vowles conceded that they are behind schedule on development and low on spare parts.
These issues were exacerbated by a string of early-season crashes, which racked up an expensive repair bill and further delayed progress. At times, the team even struggled to field two operational cars.
Sargeant’s career at Williams turned out to be short-lived, with Vowles opting to replace him with Franco Colapinto with just nine races remaining.
Although Colapinto was an improvement over Sargeant, it was too little, too late. Williams finished the season 9th in the standings—beating only Sauber, whose points tally was in the single digits—sinking two positions lower in just a year.
Frequent, costly crashes, coupled with a high driver turnover—Sainz becoming the third teammate to partner Albon under Vowles—inevitably took their toll on Williams, sending the team to a nadir.
The effects of 2024 may still be felt by the team heading into this season.
Williams 2025 F1 lineup: Albon and Sainz lead the charge
Carlos Sainz’s arrival is being touted as one of the key factors that may contribute to a future Williams resurgence.
By pairing Alex Albon with Carlos Sainz—a proven race winner—Vowles is banking on experience and technical expertise. The Spaniard has already been praised for his involvement and dedication to driving the team forward.
However, a return to the podium may still be some way off. Like many teams, Williams is prioritising preparations for next year. Vowles has acknowledged that 2025 is likely to be another challenging season, meaning Williams may have to tough it out until the 2026 regulations come into effect.
The goal for 2025 F1 season seems clear: make a step forward compared to 2024.
