Alex Albon, Williams Racing FW45
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Formula 1 Special feature

The cycle of F1 upheaval Williams must end to rediscover past glories

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For Williams, welded to the bottom of the Formula 1 constructors’ championship for the past five seasons, designing a fast car is only part of a bigger challenge. New team principal James Vowles has lots of problems to solve, from years of under-investment to unstable leadership and a working culture set in its ways. As MARK GALLAGHER explains, such issues have already outfoxed much more experienced team bosses…

When Alex Albon claimed a point for Williams in the opening race of the season in Bahrain it raised many a smile, whether among its hard-pressed staff, patient fans, or those of us who have followed the great British team’s trials and tribulations. For new team boss James Vowles, less than two weeks into the job, it showed the potential which lies within the FW45, which in testing lapped 2.4s quicker than its predecessor almost straight out of the box.

Meanwhile former team boss Jost Capito posted a congratulatory note on LinkedIn, somewhat pointedly thanking former technical director FX Demaison and the departing aerodynamics director David Wheater for all their hard work on the new car during 2022.

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