Williams enjoyed one of their strongest recent seasons in 2025, rising to fifth in the Teams’ Championship — their best finish since 2017 — and returning to the podium with new signing Carlos Sainz. As F1 enters a new regulatory era, can the Grove-based outfit take the next step? This preview outlines the drivers, recent form, history and the key objective for 2026.
Drivers for 2026
Alex Albon #23
– 2 podiums, 313 career points, 128 starts
– A Thai-British driver who debuted in F1 with Toro Rosso in 2019, earned a mid-season promotion to Red Bull and raced there through 2020. After a year out, he returned to the grid with Williams in 2022 and has rebuilt his career with consistent performances.
Carlos Sainz #55
– 4 Grand Prix wins, 29 podiums, 6 poles, 1,336.5 career points, 229 starts
– Sainz began in Toro Rosso (2015) before moving to Renault, McLaren (where he took his first podiums) and Ferrari (where he achieved poles and wins). Replaced at Ferrari for 2025, he joined Williams and immediately made an impact.
Squad continuity at Grove — Albon and Sainz remain the driving pairing heading into 2026, combining experience, recent form and momentum from 2025.
Last season (2025)
Williams posted a breakthrough year in 2025, scoring 137 points across 24 rounds — more than in the previous seven seasons combined. Albon provided a strong start to the year, delivering consistent points through the first half-season. Sainz adapted to his new team and claimed Williams’ first podium since 2021 with a third place in Baku, adding further P3 finishes in the Austin Sprint race and the Qatar Grand Prix. Those results secured Williams’ first top-five Teams’ Championship finish in almost a decade and signalled visible progress under current leadership.
History
Founded in 1978 by Sir Frank Williams, Williams is one of Formula 1’s longest-serving and most storied teams. The squad has won nine Teams’ Championships (last in 1997) and seven Drivers’ Championships: Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet (1980s), then Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve (1990s). The team struggled in the 21st century and changed ownership when the Williams family sold to Dorilton Capital in 2020. Recent signs of recovery arrived with James Vowles becoming Team Principal in 2023, driving a long-term plan to return the team toward the front.
Greatest achievement
Williams’ 1992 campaign stands out: the FW14B and Nigel Mansell dominated the season, with Mansell winning five consecutive opening races and securing the World Championship by Round 11 in Hungary. That period of dominance continued into 1993, when Williams again clinched both titles with Alain Prost.
One key goal for 2026
Williams’ resurgence culminated in 2025, but the start to 2026 has been complicated by car delays and missing the Barcelona Shakedown. The immediate priority is to get the 2026 car ready in time for official pre-season testing in Bahrain so Albon and Sainz can complete sufficient mileage ahead of the Australian season opener.
Team Principal James Vowles has stressed the need to push aggressively to find and fix limitations quickly, rather than remaining “just underneath the curve.” If the car reaches testing on schedule and the drivers have adequate preparation, Williams will aim to build on the momentum from 2023–2025 and continue their trajectory toward sustained competitiveness and, ultimately, further championship success.
Summary
– Drivers: Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz provide a blend of stability, experience and recent form.
– 2025 form: Breakthrough season with 137 points, multiple podiums and P5 in the Teams’ standings.
– Challenges: Car development delays and missed shakedowns put pre-season preparation at risk.
– Priority: Ensure the car reaches testing and the drivers complete adequate running to contest Australia confidently.
– Outlook: If testing runs smoothly, Williams can continue their upward trend and aim for regular points finishes and occasional podiums as they target longer-term championship recovery.