TEAM PREVIEW: Can Carlos Sainz’s arrival help Williams take the next step on their journey in 2025?

After a rollercoaster campaign for the team in 2024, Williams look to be entering 2025 with a renewed sense of optimism as they welcome race winner Carlos Sainz to partner the incumbent Alex Albon. Can this driver pairing help the Grove-based outfit to take the next step in their long-term plan? Here’s everything you need to know about Williams and their goals for the year ahead…

Drivers for 2025

Alex Albon #23: 2 podiums, 240 points, 105 starts
Carlos Sainz #55: 4 Grand Prix wins, 27 podiums, 6 pole positions, 1272.5 points, 208 starts

Williams boss James Vowles made no secret of his desire to sign Carlos Sainz when the Spaniard found himself on the driver market after making way for Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari – and Vowles eventually got his wish, with Sainz joining the squad in 2025 on a multi-year contract.

The four-time race winner has developed a reputation for helping to improve every team he has raced for during his Formula 1 career, an asset that could prove vital for Williams in their progression.

Sainz will join Alex Albon at the squad, with the Thai racer entering into his fourth season as a Williams driver. It is a line-up that Vowles has hailed as the “best on the grid” in 2025

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - OCTOBER 08: Carlos Sainz of Spain and Ferrari talks with Alexander Albon of — Sainz and Albon will partner up at Williams in 2025

Last season

There was no shortage of drama for Williams in 2024, something that began early on in proceedings when the team were faced with a chassis shortage at Round 3 in Australia, resulting in the decision to sideline Logan Sargeant and hand his car to Albon – who had crashed in free practice – for the remainder of the weekend.

Things did not improve much from there for Sargeant, with Vowles deciding to replace the American with F2 driver Franco Colapinto for the final nine races. The move looked to have paid off when the young Argentinian scored points on only his second appearance, helping the team to secure a double points finish in Azerbaijan.

But the latter stages of the season were tough for Williams. The team suffered six heavy crashes in the space of three race weekends, leaving them with some significant repair work as well as dropping them down to a final position of ninth in the Constructors’ Championship – slipping backwards from their 2023 result of seventh.

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL - NOVEMBER 02: Alexander Albon of Thailand driving the (23) Williams FW46 — Williams faced a challenging end to the 2024 season, with Albon and Colapinto unable to score points during the final five rounds

History

Williams are one of the most famed names in Formula 1, with the team being the third longest-serving outfit in the sport’s history. Since the late Frank Williams launched the squad in 1978, there have been plenty of highs and lows along the way.

This has seen them score nine Constructors’ Championships – the last being in 1997 – while Williams drivers have won the World Championship on seven occasions; three in the 1980s for Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg and Nelson Piquet, before Nigell Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve added to the silverware in the 1990s.

FIRST LOOK: Williams unveil new 2025 car as FW47 breaks cover at Silverstone

The team have been unable to recapture this form in the 21st century, however, having frequently finished towards the rear of the pack in the late 2010s. There was also a change in ownership when the Williams family sold the squad to Dorilton Capital in 2020.

Signs of progress have emerged more recently, though, with James Vowles arriving as Team Principal in 2023 to spearhead a long-term plan for Williams to work their way back towards the front of the grid.

Third placed Jacques Villeneuve (CDN) Williams celebrates becoming the World Champion with the — Jacques Villeneuve was Williams' last driver to win the World Championship in 1997

Greatest achievement

Given the team’s illustrious history, there are countless moments that could rank amongst their greatest achievements; from their first championships back in 1980 with Alan Jones, through to Damon Hill’s emotional 1996 triumph, and that unexpected victory for Pastor Maldonado – the team’s last to date – at the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix.

But on this occasion we’ve opted for Williams’ incredible form in 1992, a season in which they built on the promise displayed in 1991 to dominate the competition via the combination of the iconic FW14B car and a determined Nigel Mansell at the wheel.

EXCLUSIVE: From title winners to record-breakers – How Williams Heritage keep the team’s ‘Crown Jewels’ in tip-top condition

The British driver scored five consecutive victories in the opening rounds of the campaign, and it only took until Round 11 in Hungary for Mansell to win a long-awaited debut World Championship at the age of 39.

While Mansell departed for IndyCar after that season, Williams’ dominance continued into 1993 where they again clinched both titles, this time with World Champion Alain Prost onboard for his fourth and final championship.

1992: Nigel Mansell of Great Britain in action in his Williams Renault during practice for the — Nigel Mansell and Williams dominated the 1992 season en route to winning the Drivers' and Constructors' Championships

One key goal for 2025

Vowles has made it clear that Williams are embarking on a long-term project, having previously stated that Sainz’s arrival is “just one step of about a thousand that we need to achieve along our journey to be successful”.

Indeed, with much of their focus being on the technical regulations change in 2026 – and the potential for this to develop into fighting for race wins by 2028 – it seems unlikely that Williams will be expecting a dramatic leap forward in the 2025 campaign.

However, the season will mark a crucial step in that journey, with Vowles labelling it an “exciting year” as the team look to build on the behind-the-scenes progress made in 2024. As such, regularly scoring points – and avoiding those costly crashes – is likely to be a key target for Williams in the year ahead.