P1racenews AI automatic summary:
James Vowles’ explanation for the misjudgement that’s made Williams’s 2026 F1 car so late is revealing
Last week, Williams provided limited explanations for the “incredibly painful” delay with its 2026 Formula 1 car, with team boss James Vowles making a significant admission regarding the issue. This marks the third time in seven seasons that Williams has been late finishing its car build, showing a trend of delays and setbacks. The team’s struggles in recent years include missing pre-season testing time in 2019, having an overweight car in 2024, and losing three days of testing this year, putting them significantly behind their competitors in on-track running. Williams faced challenges with crash tests and fell behind in building the FW48, raising concerns about potential compromises in the car’s performance. Vowles’ leadership has been instrumental in guiding Williams to improved results, but the team’s recent setbacks highlight the challenges of transforming the organization quickly while facing technical hurdles and process complexities. Despite the difficulties, Vowles remains committed to pushing boundaries and finding solutions swiftly to elevate Williams’ performance in the competitive F1 landscape.
