Williams 2026 review points to reported Baku reset

Reports say Williams has begun a post-Silverstone review of its development rate, with an almost entirely new car for Azerbaijan also reported.

Williams is reported to be reassessing its development path after a difficult British Grand Prix. Motorsport.com reported that team principal James Vowles said the team’s current rate of car development was not enough for its target of moving up the Formula 1 grid, and that Williams had begun a two-week review after Silverstone to evaluate its upgrade direction.

Autosport also reported that Williams is aiming to bring an almost entirely new car to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in late September. That step has not been confirmed in the material supplied here, so it remains a reported plan rather than an official announcement.

RaceFans reported that Carlos Sainz described the British Grand Prix weekend as a wake-up call and said the update used there had not delivered the expected gain. Sainz sits 15th in the 2026 drivers' championship on six points, and the Spaniard’s Formula 1 career record stands at 241 starts, four wins, five pole positions and 29 podiums.