Vowles on our FW48 updates: “On time, on cost and to specification”
James Vowles reflects on the team’s FW48 upgrade, the performance gains in Baku and the development priorities for the remainder of 2026
Published
02 OCT 2026
Est. reading time
3 min
Months of work came together in Baku as Atlassian Williams F1 Team introduced a significant new package for the FW48, with Team Principal James Vowles praising the team for delivering a major development milestone.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Vowles Verdict, presented by Kraken, James explained the scale of the project, which began back in March and involved a new, lighter chassis alongside aerodynamic developments.
“What I enjoyed about this project was the challenge we set: we wanted to be different in what we're doing and to really challenge ourselves with innovation,” he said.
“But the deadline would not move. That was the delivery of two new chassis for Baku, with some aerodynamic updates at the same time, and when you're on such a long lead time it's a challenge to make sure you adhere to that. I'm pleased to say this car was on time, on cost and to the specification we set ourselves.”
It was a significant undertaking for the organisation, particularly following a difficult winter, but the hard work delivered the intended results.
“It's a huge challenge, a mammoth task, and I'm not sure there are many teams in recent history, certainly not in the cost cap era, that have redeveloped their cars in the middle of a season,” James explained. “It really stretched the organisation. It's also an organisation that was hurting after this winter, so it's great to see how we picked ourselves up and delivered what was a good step forward in Baku.”
And the early signs suggest the new package is performing as intended.
“On the upgrades and whether they delivered, and I'm really pleased to say yes,” he confirmed.
“The two chassis were delivered to the target we had specified for ourselves many months ago, to within a few grams, on time and on budget. It meant we were able to carry ballast in the race, and a large amount of the deficit has been taken off as a result.”
While the Baku update represents an important step for the current campaign, its significance extends well beyond the remaining rounds of 2026.
“Our main focus now is setting ourselves up for success in 2027,” James revealed. “Those chassis will carry over into next year, and they're really the fundamentals behind putting next year in a better place.”
It's a strategy the team has successfully employed before, with the team carrying its 2024 chassis into the following season.
“For clarity, that's what we did between 2024 and 2025, and 2025 was our best year for many years,” he said. “It was a chassis we carried over, so it's a technique we've used before, not one we've only employed this year.”
There are still some smaller developments planned for the FW48, but the emphasis is now firmly on maximising the package already in place and laying the foundations for next season.
“We're in a fairly tight scrap in the midfield,” James acknowledged. “The goal for us is to make sure we understand everything possible and fight for as many points as possible before the end of the year.”
Next up is Malaysia, where the team faces an unfamiliar challenge at Sepang after Formula 1's lengthy absence from the circuit. With daytime running in hot and humid conditions, along with a layout that places significant demands on the rear tyres, it promises to be a demanding test for both drivers and the new package.
“It's a brilliant circuit and a really challenging one, partly because of the environmental conditions,” James said.
“It's going to be a real challenge for the teams and drivers to get everything out of it. The track layout is quite punishing on the rear tyres, and it will be very difficult to get the car balance in the right window.”
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