– Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya expects a “huge step” forward for Williams at the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as the Grove team is about to introduce a much-needed update package.
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Williams experienced another disastrous weekend at the debut Grand Prix of Spain on the Madrid circuit: Carlos Sainz’s home race ended with a retirement, while teammate Alexander Albon only saw the checkered flag in 15th place.
This result fits seamlessly into an already difficult 2026 season for Williams: with a meager eleven points, the traditional racing team currently occupies only ninth place in the Constructors’ Championship, just ahead of Aston Martin and newcomer Cadillac.
Montoya curious about the upgrade
“I want to see what Williams brings,” Montoya said looking ahead to the Grand Prix in Baku in the post-race coverage by F1 TV. “I want to see how big the step Williams actually makes. They even said to Carlos today: ‘Sorry for all the pain. Next year we want to make you proud.'”
Photo series: The Williams Story
“Their first big step in the right direction is the next race. So we will see how big this step actually is. I believe it will be a huge step – and they deserve it. It has been a tough year for them.”
Team principal James Vowles had previously described the upcoming development package for Baku as a “B-spec” version of the car.
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A new car?
“The best way to describe it is: It’s a B-spec car,” he stated back in July. “It’s a new chassis, along with other components that come at the same time. That will be a big upgrade, that’s for sure.”
Vowles emphasized that the team’s focus is not solely on the hoped-for performance gain from the new parts. The package also serves as a stress test for the internal systems and workflows in Grove:
“Regarding our development direction, we have to prove to ourselves as a company that we can deliver engineering work at the required quality level and build a car during the season with the necessary quality – this is practically like trying to rebuild an airplane mid-flight.”
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“We have to prove to ourselves that we have changed compared to our situation three years ago and that we have these capabilities. And at the moment, we are fully on track.”
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