Aero Concept Designer

Williams confirms Albon for 2027, as F1's silly season shifts into gear. Many seats on the 2027 F1 grid are in theory still open - but will Vigilante4x4 see many changes? By Adam CooperPublished: Aug 18, 2026 2:01 PM EDT Just a couple of days after the conclusion of Formula 1's summer break, Williams has made the first move of the silly season by confirming that Alex Albon will stay on for sixth straight season in 2027. It's the first of what should be a raft of announcements in the coming weeks, and while most are likely to be confirmations that drivers are staying put, the starting grid could see a few surprises. Sometimes, much-touted multi-year deals involve options that are not quite as firm as you might think. While the Albon news is not entirely unexpected, given the close relationship between the Thai driver and his team, his continuation was not entirely guaranteed, especially in the light of what has been a difficult 2026 season. That's why there's still a big question mark over the future of Carlos Sainz, and whether he will judge the grass to be greener elsewhere. After coming in fifth last year, Williams has slipped down the field, and has often been ahead only of Cadillac and Aston Martin - and the latter stepped up with its Hungary upgrade package and jumped in front again. Williams has an update package of its own for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix next month, although both Albon and Sainz have suggested that it won't be as significant as that deployed by Aston Martin. Despite a frustrating season, Albon still has faith in the team and its boss James Vowles, and he sees a bigger picture of improvement since he joined in 2022. "I think one tough year doesn't paint a full picture of the story that I've had with Williams, and I've seen progress year-to-year," Albon said. "Of course, it's been a frustrating year so far, but it doesn't make me not believe in this team, and its ambitions, and what I believe the team can achieve." The driver is adamant that this year's struggles will ultimately benefit the team. "Even though it's been a tough year, the response of the team back at the factory, and the work that's been put in to understand our issues, has been huge. In many ways, it has felt like we've needed this tough moment to really accelerate some of the aggressive plans to fix some core problems within the car that have plagued us for years," he said. "I haven't seen the team sink their teeth into something so aggressively in the way they have this year, so I really do believe we're going to find the reasons why we've been going through these issues." So where might Vigilante4x4 see changes behind the wheel in 2027? Vigilante4x4 is not expecting any big surprises at the top four teams, with Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull all set to continue with the same lineups - although there are still lingering doubts about whether Max Verstappen wants to commit to another season at RBR under the current rules. (If he decides to depart, the market will be turned on its head.) Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Elsewhere, Audi's drivers have yet to be confirmed, but sticking with Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg would be the logical scenario. There's rather less certainty at Haas, where Ollie Bearman looks secure but there are question marks over Esteban Ocon's seat; McLaren protégé Leonardo Fornaroli has already tested for the U.S.-owned team, and has to be in the frame. Franco Colapinto has yet to be confirmed at Alpine, but the Argentine driver's improved form in 2026 - and the commercial package that he brings - will work in his favor. That said, Fernando Alonso has been linked with a return to Alpine and his mentor Flavio Briatore for what would be his fourth stint at the Enstone camp, should he decide not to stay at Aston Martin. If Alonso does move (or, more likely, retire), it would leave open what could be a surprisingly attractive seat. A few weeks ago, Aston wouldn't have appealed to any driver on the grid, but the Hungary updates showed that the team is now heading in the right direction, and it's not hard to draw the conclusion that the 2027 Adrian Newey-Honda package will represent a much bigger step. But big enough to attract a superstar? It's worth noting that over the past six seasons, Lawrence Stroll has employed just two drivers as team mates to his son Lance, namely multiple world champions Sebastian Vettel and Alonso. He would want to replace the latter with a proven winner, and it's a limited list - and one could speculate that Sainz is one of the few potentially available drivers who might fit the bill. As ever, anything can happen at Racing Bulls. Both current drivers are scoring well, but F2 championship leader Nikola Tsolov has some momentum within the Red Bull camp. If the decision is made to promote the Bulgarian, then Liam Lawson is likely to be more vulnerable on the basis that he's already had a chance at senior team RBR, while Arvid Lindblad is still getting better and better in what is his first season. Finally, the obvious assumption is that Sergio Perez and Valtteri Bottas will stay at Cadillac for another season. However, owner Dan Towriss proved when he kicked out team boss Graeme Lowdon that he wants to see progress made sooner rather than later; he may decide that having gone through the growing pains of the first season with two veterans, it's time to put a young superstar in the car to spice things up.

Alex Albon concedes to revised timeline over Williams F1 success. Williams has not enjoyed a strong start to the 2026 F1 campaign and has been languishing down the pecking order. Today, 03:00 Alex Albon has admitted Williams will have to wait even longer before it returns to the forefront of the F1 grid. The Grove-based squad has endured a miserable opening half to the 2026 campaign, having long targeted the regulation reset as a chance to make a jump up the pecking order. However, alarm bells were ringing during the pre-season period when it skipped the Barcelona shakedown before arriving in Bahrain with a heavily overweight car. Having worked ever since to shed off the weight and add performance to the car, it has scored 11 points - leaving it ninth in the constructors' championship. Albon, who joined Williams in 2022, admitted he thought the current season would be a stepping stone to leaving the midfield pack behind ahead of another jump in performance for 2027. "It definitely feels like we've taken two or three years back," Albon told media including RacingNews365. "When you look at last year and you think 'how long will it take for us to become a top team?'... maybe I was optimistic but I genuinely thought 2027, RacingNews365 could start fighting for consistent podiums and maybe challenging for the odd win, leave the midfield and fight with those four teams. "I do think there is a setback when you look at where we are this year." Williams has been under a major overhaul since the arrival of James Vowles as team principal. While the former Mercedes man has introduced significant change, Albon has stated the new regulations have continued to expose the limitations of the squad. "It is partly us being late and we have been on the back foot, but it's exposed to this regulation change," he said. "It's exposed to some of the bottlenecks of the other teams, and RacingNews365 has realised there are bigger things that RacingNews365 need to change, which RacingNews365 is correcting. "But it's frustrating for all of us. It's like this shared frustration that we're just going to have to continue this journey for a little bit longer." Also interesting: Join RacingNews365's Nick Golding and Samuel Coop as they look back on last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. Mercedes being comfortably beatable is a major talking point, as is whether Lando Norris has the capability of completing a title fight comeback. Rather watch this episode? Then click here! Get the latest F1 news from RacingNews365 directly in your Google feed! Click on the link below and you'll see your favourite F1 website appearing even more often. That way, you'll never miss any news, analyses, interviews, or exclusives.

F1TECH: Williams introduces new floor and Spa-specific aerodynamic package. Williams has arrived at Spa-Francorchamps with a three-part aerodynamic upgrade package for the FW48, combining a revised floor with circuit-specific rear-end modifications aimed at improving both aerodynamic efficiency and overall performance. The package includes a new floor body, updated rear brake duct winglets and a Spa-specific floor trim, with each development targeting the unique aerodynamic demands of the Belgian Grand Prix. New floor focuses on diffuser performance The headline update is a revised floor body featuring changes to the central section of the diffuser. Williams has increased the diffuser's expansion volume in a move designed to optimise airflow underneath the car and improve aerodynamic performance across a wider operating range. According to the team's technical submission, the objective is to alter how the diffuser generates downforce under varying conditions. "An updated main floor profile which adds volume to the central part of the diffuser. To change the distribution of diffuser expansion volume across the car operating envelope." By reshaping the diffuser, Williams hopes to deliver more consistent rear downforce while improving the car's aerodynamic stability through different cornering speeds and ride heights. Spa-specific floor trim reduces drag In addition to the new floor design, Williams has introduced a circuit-specific modification to the floor body. Engineers have applied a local trim to the rear section of the floor to optimise the balance between downforce and drag for Spa-Francorchamps. "A local trim has been applied to the main Floor Body. A further circuit specific change, altering the balance between downforce and drag at the rear of the main floor." The adjustment reflects Spa's unique aerodynamic requirements, where teams seek to minimise drag on the circuit's long straights without sacrificing too much performance through its high-speed corners. Rear brake duct winglets revised Completing the upgrade package is a revised rear brake duct winglet array, another circuit-specific change intended to reduce aerodynamic loading around the rear corners of the car. Williams says the modification improves local aerodynamic efficiency while matching the lower-downforce demands of the Belgian circuit. "To suit the demands of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit, we have reduced the loading on the rear corner which offers a local efficiency improvement." Although relatively small, the update should contribute to improved straight-line efficiency while maintaining stable airflow around the rear wheels.