Williams Racing’s team principal, James Vowles, has hinted at the potential for significant improvements after the team secured its first points of the season at the Monaco Grand Prix. The team faced challenges at the start of the campaign due to tight construction deadlines for their car, resulting in a shortage of spare parts. Vowles previously revealed that the team’s efforts to revamp the car design had led to excess weight, costing them up to 0.45 seconds per lap. However, Alex Albon was able to take advantage of Monaco’s unique circuit characteristics and secure a ninth-place finish in qualifying.
Vowles emphasized that Williams will use this breakthrough result as a foundation for future success, with updates planned for the upcoming races. He expressed optimism about the team’s potential for improvement, stating that there is still a long season ahead. Vowles acknowledged that there were areas where the team fell short in previous races, but they have identified areas for improvement moving forward. He highlighted the upcoming race in Canada as an opportunity for further performance gains and expressed excitement about what lies ahead in the next six rounds.
While acknowledging that points were within reach in previous races, Vowles admitted that certain aspects of the car, such as its excess weight, hindered their performance. However, Albon’s ninth-place finish has provided a much-needed morale boost for the entire team. Albon himself expressed satisfaction with the result, recognizing the significance of getting points on the board and ending their point drought. He believes that this achievement will serve as a catalyst for Williams Racing’s performance throughout the rest of the season.