The team
Williams Racing is one of Formula 1’s most storied independent teams, with nine constructors’ championships won from its base in Grove, England. After a long spell in the doldrums following the Williams family’s departure, the team is now several years into a patient, infrastructure-first rebuild under team principal James Vowles — a project that has moved visibly from promise to points.
2026 season
Carlos Sainz’s decision to extend his contract — made, by his own admission, after genuine hesitation — is the strongest external endorsement the rebuild has received. The Spaniard has functioned as the team’s benchmark and calibration instrument, applying front-running standards learned at Ferrari and McLaren. For Formula 1’s first Madrid race, Williams marked Sainz’s home Grand Prix with a striking retro livery inspired by its first championship era of 1981 — nostalgia worn by a team increasingly focused on the future.
Follow our latest Williams coverage in the news and features sections.
