Williams, once one of F1’s most dominant teams in the 90s, has been dwindling at the back end of the grid for the better part of the 21st century. Under new leadership, the Grove-based outfit wants to return to winning ways again. Although changes are coming slowly, Alex Albon believes that sacrificing 2025 for the new regulations is the right move for his team.
Albon insisted that he doesn’t want immediate success if it causes his team more problems in the future. For him and Williams, being number one in the long run matters. According to Motorsport, Albon said,
“If we want to be a frontrunner, there are still things we need to do to do that and they’re big changes that take time. Yes, I would much rather sacrifice 2025 for 2026.”
@WilliamsRacing Dave Robson commenting on @alex_albon
“You’ve heard James Vowles say it as well. He’s got everything he needs, except the car right at this moment, to be world champion. We just need to provide him with that car, which obviously over the next couple of years…— Williams Supporters #WeAreWilliams (@WilliamsSupport) June 18, 2024
Albon signed a contract extension with Williams, which surprised many considering he was one of the hottest drivers on the market. However, it shows that things are brewing up in Grove, which makes Albon believe that staying at Williams is the right option.
Major changes have been made within the team since Dorilton Capital took over in 2021. James Vowles became the Team Principal and Pat Fry, the Chief Technical Officer. Explaining the rebuilding process, Vowles revealed that up to 30 people with huge accolades have signed with the British outfit to date.
At the same time, team milestones cannot be achieved with just one driver. Albon has been locked in, but Williams doesn’t see his teammate Logan Sargeant in their plans.
James Vowles declares Carlos Sainz as priority number one
Sargeant’s rookie season (2023) was underwhelming, to say the least. Yet, the team decided to give the American driver another chance this year, something he has failed to capitalize on, nine races in.
Speaking with the media during the Canadian GP, James Vowles’ made it clear that his priority target is Carlos Sainz. The Williams Team Principal advised that it is now up to the Spaniard to make the decision. If Sainz ends up joining the team, the competition for the lead driver with Albon could turn out to be intriguing.
“We are prepared to have a driver line-up that I think is going to be one of the best on the grid,” said James Vowles. Albon and Sainz along with a competitive car for 2026 will make Williams a team to look out for. There’s still a long time to go before the effect of changes and signings will be seen.
