Williams are in a strong position to compete in the 2025 F1 season. The Australian Grand Prix is the first opportunity for James Vowles’ team to show their real potential.
The Grove-based endured a difficult 2024 campaign with multiple crashes damaging their season. While results improved when Franco Colapinto replaced Logan Sargeant from Monza onwards, the Argentine and Alex Albon could not lift Williams from ninth in the constructors’ championship.
Scoring just 17 points last year, Vowles has looked to build the team up with strong recruitments behind the scenes for the 2025 season. Signing Carlos Sainz from Ferrari was one of the biggest coups in the driver market in 2024.
The Spaniard joins Williams off the back of arguably his best season to date with two wins and nine podiums. Sainz brings a winning mentality to Grove and another leader to go alongside Albon.
Williams’ 2025 drivers have already made a huge impact behind the scenes, helping the team push on in development. Sainz and Albon even discussed technical details during a private team event – they are fully committed to the project.
Their efforts have translated into encouraging signs for the upcoming season. Sainz went fastest on the second day of pre-season testing – Williams’ performance in Bahrain has given them some ambitious targets for 2025.
James Vowles wants Williams to have a ‘commonplace’ in the top 10 in 2025
Vowles says Williams have the ‘ingredients’ for podiums in 2025. While it may be a stretch to say that they can achieve this consistently this year, the Williams boss is expecting regular points finishes.
Speaking on the official Williams YouTube channel, Vowles wants to see the team have a ‘commonplace’ in the top 10 in 2025. He will want Sainz and Albon to get off to a good start to the year at the Australian Grand Prix.
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“A successful season to me is obviously building on last year,” said Vowles.
“What I mean by that is not just fundamentally in championship position but making sure that we have a much better grasp of what we’re doing in terms of developmental items, of use of the product. It’s also items that aren’t really relevant to the 24 races you see at home.
“But making sure that we’re able to run the car programme and those 24 races in succession and tandem with developing next year’s car, without hindering it at the same time whilst we’re building the team and building technologies underneath as well.
“So effectively it’s this continued transformation that will take place across ’25 and ’26 as well without effecting our on track performance.
“A good season on track for me looks like that we have a constant or a commonplace position in the top 10 in qualifying and in racing and I think we have the drivers to do it.
“We have a good foundation to work from so that is our aspiration and goal.”
Several key F1 figures back Williams to return to the front in the future
With Sainz and Albon on board, Williams are building a project that could see them return to their previous glory and fight at the front. While the Grove-based outfit are looking ahead to 2026 and the new regulations, they could see success in 2025.
Jolyon Palmer backs Williams for a podium in 2025 after seeing their progress in pre-season testing. A strong campaign this year will stand the team in good stead heading into next season with a new era of cars.
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Albon says Williams will move quickly into 2026 as they try to ace the new rules. The Thai driver is taking inspiration from his former team Red Bull, who have dominated the ground effect era.
If Williams can produce a competitive car next year, they could find themselves back at the front where they belong – the team have not won a race since Pastor Maldonado in 2012.
Marc Priestley sees Williams as the next McLaren – the Woking-based outfit have had a dramatic turnaround in the last 18 months and the ex-engineer is backing Williams to do the same in the ‘next three years’.
