A record-breaking Williams in Baku: the Grove’s team, 9 years since the last time, has reached more than 100 points in Costructor Championship
A record-breaking Williams. Just a few years ago, such a headline would have sounded ironic, when the historic Grove-based team—burdened by debt and struggling with a dire financial situation—could barely scrape into Q2 in qualifying, let alone score the occasional, meager race point.
Yet, under the leadership of James Vowles—now in his third season at the helm—the team appears to have long since discovered the winning formula. Williams has even managed to claim an unexpected podium in 2025. In a Formula 1 season dominated by the two McLarens and the ever-present threat of Verstappen, Carlos Sainz’s third place in Baku stands as a testament to the genuine competitiveness of the Grove car.
A car that, at least on the streets of Baku, could rightfully be described as stronger than Ferrari’s, with the Scuderia once again delivering a lackluster performance throughout the Azerbaijani weekend.
A United Team, a Dream Driver Pairing, and Eye-Catching Stats: Williams 2025
Believing in the project and allowing the team principal and key personnel the time they need has always been the secret recipe for success in Formula 1. On the eve of a regulatory overhaul that could reshuffle the entire grid, Vowles and his crew—many of them former Mercedes staff—are openly positioning Williams as one of the future frontrunners, a claim the British team principal himself has admitted.
The once-ridiculed goal of “winning in 2028,” first announced in 2023 (a season in which Williams collected only 28 points), can no longer be dismissed. The group’s remarkable quality and organizational strength are now plain to see. The results speak for themselves: improved pit stops (from an average of 3.38 seconds in 2024 to 2.94 seconds this year), a cohesive team spirit, minimal tension between drivers, and excellent communication.
After years of struggle between 2018 and 2024, the pressure on Grove has eased considerably. But with a 2025 campaign already yielding more than 100 points, expectations for next season are bound to rise. To date, Williams has amassed 101 points in the Constructors’ standings—a feat not seen since 2016, when Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa scored 138 points to secure fifth place overall.
Much of the credit for this 101-point haul—sure to grow before Abu Dhabi—goes to the team’s golden driver duo. Alex Albon, now a seasoned and supremely reliable performer, and Carlos Sainz, fresh from a four-year stint with Ferrari, are the linchpins of Vowles’ competitive lineup. Together, they have positioned Williams as a genuine contender should a battle at the top emerge—a fight the Grove outfit has been waiting far too long to join.
Photo: Williams Atlassian Racing
