Williams in the News: A homecoming, a partnership renewed and a playlist for the paddock
All the latest from the world of Atlassian Williams F1 Team, through the motorsport media lens
Published
18 SEP 2026
Est. reading time
5 min
At the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring, Atlassian Williams F1 Team generated coverage across a wide range of outlets, from the paddock staples to the pages of GQ, Rolling Stone UK and T3.
Here's what the media have been saying over the past week…
Carlos comes home
Formula1.com captured the mood of the Madrid weekend beautifully in a feature exploring what Carlos Sainz means to his home city, and what it meant to him to finally race there.
With F1 returning to Madrid for the first time in more than four decades, the piece draws on Carlos' own words alongside those of his most dedicated fans.
"When I think about Madrid, I think about my first karting races," Carlos said. "That's where it all started, where I started dreaming about being an F1 driver. Now I get to race in my home town and be the ambassador of the Grand Prix – it's a privilege."
The personal dimension ran deeper than the sporting one. "Madrid is my home," he added. "I get to spend the weekend with my family and sleep at my parents' house to then go racing – that doesn't happen anywhere else on the calendar."
For his fans, who filled Plaza del Callao hours before he arrived on Tuesday for his Fan Zone appearance, the feeling was mutual. "You carried Madrid to the top step of the podium, to the world stage," wrote one fan, "and now you've brought Formula 1 back home."
Albon on Sainz: the work ethic that impressed me most
Spanish outlet El Periodico caught up with Alex over lunch in the Madring paddock for a wide-ranging conversation covering the season, the new circuit, and his relationship with his teammate.
On Sainz, Alex was both precise and full of praise. "Carlos has a very technical profile, maybe that comes from his father, they are very similar, both methodical," he said.
"It's very good to have him as a teammate because he has a very good understanding of the car and engineering in general. When you have someone like that in the team, with so much experience and intelligence, especially in a situation like ours, I think it helps us grow a lot."
Asked which quality he values most in his teammate, the answer came quickly: "His work ethic has been the most surprising thing, the most impressive." The two have also built a genuine friendship away from the garage. "We buy breakfast together in Monaco, grab food together. He's been to my house a lot and we have a strong relationship."
Vowles: I want a culture that accepts intelligent failure
GQ España sat down with James Vowles ahead of the Madrid race for an interview that ranged from the new Madring circuit to his philosophy of leadership, and produced some of the most open reflections on how he runs the team.
On his leadership style, JV was characteristically direct. "First of all, I want to make sure that, as a company, we are brutally honest with each other and challenge each other but without blaming each other for things," he said.
"I am looking for a culture that accepts what is called 'intelligent failure'. If you and I spend time designing a world-first project, something that has never been done before, and we get it 92% right (even if we fail on the remaining 8%), that should be rewarded.
And that 8% of error must serve as a learning experience, making sure that everyone around us learns from it too. That is intelligent failure."
"I want a culture in which there is no fear of acting that way, no fear of repercussions. I want people to want to do it, because it allows them to stand out from their peers. That is my leadership style."
People not products: the Komatsu renewal
Sector published a detailed look at the expanded partnership between Williams and Komatsu, speaking to both Williams Commercial Director James Bower and Komatsu's VP of Global Brand Transformation Todd Connolly about what actually sits behind the renewed deal.
The headline addition is hydraulics – Komatsu becomes Williams' Official Hydraulic Innovation Partner, drawing on a relationship that stretches back to the team's 1996 and 1997 World Championship-winning cars. But ask either side what the partnership is really about and you get a very different answer.
"Absolutely it's ultimately about people and the collaboration between people from Williams and Komatsu," said Bower, describing the hydraulics element as closer to a personnel exchange than a conventional technology transfer.
Connolly echoed it almost word for word: "We're a people business for 105 years. Our engineering mindsets are paralleled exactly with those within Williams."
The renewal also extends the Komatsu Williams Engineering Academy and introduces a new Komatsu Williams Leadership Academy launching in 2027, while extending Komatsu branding to the Williams Driver Academy for the first time.
Time on the wrist
T3 covered the launch of two new Girard-Perregaux watches this week, both born from the brand's collaboration with Atlassian Williams F1 Team.
The Laureato Williams Edition 42mm and the Laureato Chronograph Williams Edition 42mm both carry the Laureato's signature octagonal bezel and integrated bracelet. A design that traces back to 1975 has been updated with blue Clous de Paris dials inspired by Williams' 2026 race car, red accents echoing the team's keyline, and a subtle 'W' hidden at 12 o'clock on each dial. Both are available now.
Alex on the playlist
Over on Rolling Stone UK, Alex features in the magazine's Playlist Picks series, talking music, race-day routine and the fact that he has, remarkably, never been to a gig. We covered this one in full over on the Williams app and website here.
Earn WClub points
Latest
Related Tags
Trending
© 2026 The Williams Group, under licence to Williams IP Holdings LLC
Williams Grand Prix Engineering Services LLP, a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with company registration number OC456938 and whose registered address is at Station Road, Grove, Wantage, Oxfordshire, OX12 0DQ.
Powered By