Williams F1 targets upgrades to revive struggling 2026 campaign

Williams Racing is eighth in the 2026 Formula 1 Constructors' Championship, trailing the leaders by a substantial margin. The team cites excess weight and aerodynamic shortfalls on the FW48 as key reasons for a performance gap of about one second to the front‑runners, as highlighted by driver Carlos Sainz after the Barcelona Grand Prix.

Team principal James Vowles said the Barcelona race exposed temporary weaknesses and outlined a season plan that includes several upgrade packages. Immediate improvements are expected for upcoming events at Silverstone and possibly Spa, with additional updates before the August break. After the summer pause, Williams intends to introduce a substantially revised version of the car, described as a “B‑version” or “practically new” FW48, to try to reverse the season’s downturn.

Vowles emphasized that the team still has only a third of the season behind it and believes the planned developments can bring the car closer to the leading pack, though a major leap is unlikely before the break.