No more overweight, better balance and a winning driver in the cockpit: Williams driver Alexander Albon explains why 2025 could be more than just a transitional year after all.
Williams driver Alexander Albon is “really impressed” by his FW47 Mercedes for the 2025 Formula One season. This is hardly surprising – after all, every racing driver expresses enthusiasm when their new car is presented. But Albon has every reason to this year: according to him, the team’s technical starting position is significantly better than in 2024.
One example: Last season, Williams used metal components instead of the lighter and more durable carbon fiber on several occasions – a necessity under the conditions the traditional team faced at the time.
In 2025, the situation is quite different. “It’s all good,” Albon assures when asked. He says Williams has made great strides in terms of quality and has done “really great work”. The new FW47 is “definitely a step forward”.
This should also have an impact on vehicle weight – a key problem last season. For long periods of the year, the car was above the minimum weight and thus lost out on lap time. The improved manufacturing processes and the increased use of carbon fiber could now give Williams a significantly better starting position.
Williams FW47 less susceptible to wind
Williams has also worked to optimize the car’s behavior in windy conditions. “There were certain situations that really hurt us. We know this because it was clearly visible from the GPS data,” explains Albon.
The team had identified this problem with the FW46 early this year, but was only able to take technical action on the FW47 now. That’s why Albon is convinced he has a “good car” this year. However, it remains to be seen whether Williams has actually improved compared to its competitors. “We still need to be patient,” he says.
Why 2025 won’t be a transition year for Williams
Although team principal James Vowles is already focusing on the new Formula One era from 2026 with its modified technical regulations, Albon does not expect another transition year.
“It’s obviously important to get 2026 right,” says the Thai driver. ”Because if you start with a disadvantage, it’s extremely difficult to catch up. We saw that at Red Bull, which had an advantage for years that McLaren only caught up with in 2024.”
Williams must therefore take a step forward as early as 2025. “We don’t want to just sacrifice the year for the future,” Albon emphasizes. That’s why the team has revised its philosophy and “pretty much rebuilt” the car. The FW47 is fundamentally different from its predecessor, the FW46.
What Williams wants to prove in 2025
The first pictures of the new car show changes to the front wing, underbody and bonnet. Albon himself is reluctant to provide technical details, but does speak of “many areas” that have been optimized. He says that 2024 revealed some weaknesses in the concept. “We analyzed these things and tried to fix them,” he explains.
“So if we understand the car’s idiosyncrasies and make targeted investments in key areas, we will put ourselves in a very good position for the future.”
For him personally, it’s about more than just performance: “I want to see progress and recognize whether we are moving in the right direction overall,” he says. What also matters, he says, is “what happens behind the scenes. Are we acting like a top team now?”
What Albon thinks of Sainz’s arrival at Williams
At least the team now has top team experience: for 2025, Williams has added Carlos Sainz, a winning driver, to its ranks. Albon sees this change as “an opportunity” – both for the team and for himself.
“Sainz had one of his best years in Formula 1 in 2024 and will therefore be a good benchmark for me. I can learn from him,” said Albon. “But I hope he can learn something from me too.”
Above all, it is important that Williams performs strongly at the start of the season – a phase in which many rookies in the field may still be struggling with the transition to Formula 1. This could definitely be an opportunity for the team.
However, newcomers like Oliver Bearman at Haas or Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Mercedes are “not real newcomers” because they have already done extensive testing or, like Bearman, have even competed in several Formula One races. “Therefore, there are only a few drivers that I would consider real rookies,” says Albon. “But we’ll see.”
