Williams is optimistic about their platform for the 2024 season after making a significant overhaul over winter. James Vowles and his personnel will work hard to unlock the potential within the FW46.
Last season was the British outfit’s most successful campaign in several years. Alex Albon secured points on a relatively consistent basis while also providing the team with a crucial baseline.
However, this is not to say the Grove-based team can rest on its laurels. VCARB undoubtedly had the faster package by the final round of the season, with Yuki Tsunoda’s pace in Abu Dhabi serving as clear evidence for this.
Moreover, the continued progression of last year’s top-5 will make it difficult for Williams to make a spectacular breakthrough.
Instead, Dave Robson’s technical department will be tasked with cementing the team’s status in the midfield. Considering the risks taken over the last twelve months, this will be no easy feat.
Almost every aspect of the FW46 has been changed and reworked. As with most teams across the field, such changes were deemed necessary to compete in 2024.
Robson, Williams’ head of vehicle performance, outlined the team’s position after Bahrain testing:
“We had a good day to complete the pre-season test. We did another 120 laps and this time without any car issues.
“Alex was able to build on the work done by Logan yesterday and continued to evolve the FW46.
“Across a range of fuel loads, the car was behaving well…
“Inevitably, at this time of year, there is a lot of scope to push the FW46 harder and to develop it quickly.
“We have a few days to analyse the data from this week and decide how we build the cars for FP1 and how we look to introduce the first round of car updates.”
With Alpine suffering from an unsurprisingly poor pre-season test, the British team could see itself ahead of an engine manufacturer.
Such an achievement would be very impressive for Williams in the context of their struggles over the last decade.
However, a strong rate of mid-season development will be critical for the team. Additionally, both drivers – including Logan Sargeant – must contribute if they are to fend off their rivals.
Author: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
