Williams revealed its 2026 livery after FW48 production delays and missed the Barcelona test; punters should be cautious on short-term bets—expect early-season reliability issues and lower odds for podiums, but consider small long-term stakes on gradual progress as the team targets steady improvement into 2025–26.
Williams unveils 2026 livery after FW48 production delay
Williams has shown the livery it will race with in 2026 after production delays to the new FW48 saw the team miss the opening Formula 1 preseason test in Barcelona. The launch was scaled back from a public factory event to an internal reveal in front of team members while the car build remains incomplete.
Design and partners: blue returns
The new livery leans on Williams’ traditional blue—also the corporate colour of title partner Atlassian—combined with white and a lighter blue tied to banking partner Barclays. The look signals continuity as the team prepares to debut the FW48 at next week’s Bahrain test.
Testing plan after Barcelona no-show
Williams skipped the Barcelona running but plans to arrive in Bahrain after an extensive virtual track testing (VTT) programme. Team principal James Vowles highlighted Mercedes’ heavy mileage as an advantage, saying data learned across the grid can be carried into Bahrain and reduce the impact of missing Barcelona.
Vowles: realistic goals, long-term focus
Vowles emphasised realism about the task of moving into the top four, saying it becomes exponentially harder the higher you climb. He does not expect Williams to fight for the 2026 championship but wants to establish 2025 as a new baseline and push forward year on year.
Car performance: mixed signals
Vowles admitted parts of the FW48 are “championship level” while other areas still lag behind F1’s front runners. He stressed that building the car into a polished, reliable package is essential — without which podiums and wins remain out of reach despite last season’s two podiums.
Organisational lessons and immediate fixes
The delay exposed internal issues that Williams has moved to address immediately. Vowles called the setback a chance to focus on core problems, stating the team is conducting a full review to fix weaknesses revealed by the recent build and testing schedule pressures.
Outlook and implications for the season
Williams finished fifth last year after an early shift in focus to 2026. The team’s path forward is cautious: rely on Mercedes partnership and VTT gains, aim to polish the FW48 for Bahrain, and pursue incremental gains rather than an immediate leap into the championship picture.
Williams has revealed the livery it will race with in 2026 following delays to the production of its new car, the FW48.
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