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Williams Formula 1 team principal James Vowles has conceded that the upcoming upgrades for the 2026 season won't be enough to consistently propel the team into points-scoring positions.
The Grove-based outfit has endured a challenging start to the season. Issues with an overweight car became apparent during pre-season testing in Bahrain, and the team has managed to secure a mere 11 points across 14 races so far.
Speaking on The Fast And The Curious podcast, Vowles explained that errors made during the initial development phase of the car will continue to impact the team for the remainder of the season. While a significant upgrade package is set to be introduced at next week's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Vowles was candid about their immediate on-track impact.
"This year is tough, and it will remain tough until the very end. There's no way around it. Many of the mistakes we made during the winter period will stay with us for the rest of the year. What we're trying to do is get back on an even keel by the time we start working on next season's car," the Briton stated."This year will see small steps forward, but they won't be enough to get us even to the absolute minimum I'd like to see – which is scoring points on a weekend.""That's simply not the reality we're in today. For next year, however, I believe we will move up the grid. Yes. It's hard to move backward on the grid. We will move forward as a result, but we still have a tough fight ahead of us," the Williams boss added.
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