ALCARAZ/WILLIAMS VS. ROUTLIFFE/GLASSPOOL | ROUND 1 | US OPEN 2026

 

COBOLLI/BENCIC VS. ALCARAZ/WILLIAMS |

 

F1 DRIVER DEVELOPING 'WORST REPUTATION' ON THE GRID OVER HIS BEHAVIOUR SO FAR THIS SEASON

Carlos Sainz's obstruction of Oscar Piastri at the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix has only deepened the frustration surrounding the Williams F1 driver, further damaging his standing among rivals who already viewed him with serious scepticism.

James Vowles, Team Principal of Williams Racing, isn’t putting the Hungarian Grand Prix collision solely on Sainz. Instead, he’s pointing to a broken blue‑flag system, unclear team messaging, and Fernando Alonso’s refusal to yield.

Piastri - who lost the lead because of the contact - blasted Sainz as an “idiot” and later called the move “the dumbest thing” he’d ever seen.

Sainz took a five-second penalty for the contact, while Piastri later retired for an unrelated reason.

Onboard footage shows Sainz driving past several flashing blue lights and being overtaken twice by Alonso seconds before the crash. Vowles says the Spaniard should have moved aside earlier, and admits Williams didn’t warn their driver at the right moment. Stewards still held him fully responsible, however, but issued a reduced penalty due to limited visibility.

What's Been Said About Carlos Sainz

Nate Saunders, a senior Formula 1 writer and journalist for ESPN, said: "It's hard to ignore the cloud over Sainz going into the break following his collision with Piastri in Hungary.

"Piastri called it 'one of the dumbest things I've ever seen on a racetrack,' and given Sainz's intelligence and experience, it's hard to disagree.

"Worst of all is that Sainz seems to be a repeat offender; he stayed on the racing line while being shown blue flags as the race leader Leclerc approached at the British Grand Prix, and he's becoming known among his peers for being one of the worst for blocking in practice, too. That all might be more forgivable for a rookie, but this is Sainz's 12th season in F1."

The Lap 39 incident stripped Piastri of the lead, paving the way for Lando Norris to inherit the position and secure victory. The Australian branded Sainz’s collision with him in Hungary as “unacceptable,” adding that he ought to “look in the mirror” considering how often he’s criticised fellow drivers.

"Two problems took place," Vowles said. "That flag system just wasn't working. In fact, at one point, we were just operating with marshals doing their best, but waving blue flags, and it's a very difficult thing for marshals to do; they don't know when the cars are coming by and trigger that.

"What happened is he took an opportunity to go inside of Carlos into turn one. So, at that stage, Carlos then became the car behind, and when you do have a number of marshal posts to therefore give up position. However, on the run down turn two, Carlos was back ahead now, so the car behind is Fernando, again with the light boards."

Vowles clarified that there was no effort to impede Piastri, noting that a different car behind them should have yielded before they did.

- Cody Marmon

WILLIAMS DRIVERS | MOST STARTS IN F1 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX

 

ALL THE F1 BRITISH GP SPECIAL LIVERIES UNVEILED SO FAR

The 2026 British Grand Prix should again prove a popular occasion for special liveries among Formula 1 teams.

While just three of the 11 teams are registered as British, the majority of the squads are either de facto UK-based or at least part-based there, and usually not far from British GP venue Silverstone.

Here are the British GP-specific colour schemes unveiled thus far.

McLaren

McLaren's Silverstone design showcases the partnership with its major sponsor Google and specifically Google's AI tool Gemini.

But it references a specific car from the past, the white-and-green McLaren M2B campaigned by team founder Bruce McLaren in 1966.

Cadillac

Though Britain was...a relevant party in the historical event in question, Cadillac's special colour scheme for Silverstone is not British-themed.

Instead, the American team will deploy a stars-and-stripes USA colour scheme to celebrate Independence Day, July 4 - which will align with qualifying day and which this year marks 250 years since the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

Williams

Williams's Silverstone livery is a minor update to its primary 2026 colour scheme.

The British GP version of the FW48 will feature a "Union Jack-inspired" palette on the side of the nose structure - and also on the team kit and racesuits.

- The Race Team 

COUNT IT MORE | WORLD CUP SONG

 

FORMULA 1 CONSTRUCTORS STANDINGS

 

ATLASSIAN | WILLIAMS F1 TEAM | BAHRAIN PRE-SEASON TEST

 

ATLASSIAN WILLIAMS F1 TEAM REVEAL 2026 F1

Atlassian Williams F1 Team today officially unveiled the racing livery for its 2026 challenger, the FW48 – revealing a new look for the team in Formula 1’s all-new regulations era. Drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz joined Team Principal James Vowles to present the striking design to the 1,200-strong workforce at Grove who have poured tens of thousands of hours into preparing for the season ahead.

• Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz and James Vowles unveil striking livery design for the FW48 to dedicated team at Grove HQ

• New look for the new era of F1 regulations features vibrant gloss blue complemented by black and white, with heritage-inspired red and white keyline

• Alex Albon: “The FW48 looks incredible…I can’t wait for the fans to see it on track and cheer us on”

The 2026 livery has been designed to match the team’s bold intent as it transitions to a new era as Atlassian Williams F1 Team – a name reflecting the team’s sole purpose to race and win at the pinnacle of motorsport.

The FW48 is flooded with a vibrant gloss blue, a colour that is unmistakably Williams and reflects the strength of our title partnership with Atlassian. This is contrasted with a flowing section of black, sweeping from the chassis side through to the rear of the car, which is framed by an iconic red and white keyline – a feature of championship-winning Williams cars like Nigel Mansell’s FW14B and Damon Hill’s FW18 which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year.

The most striking evolution of the livery comes from the introduction of white across the sidepod, front wing and rear wing – injecting energy and movement into the design and amplifying the presence of our partners across the car.

Atlassian Williams F1 Team’s new look was revealed hours after the announcement of a major new global partnership with Barclays, the latest vote of confidence in Williams’ determination to return to the front of the grid. Over the past fortnight the team has also welcomed Anthropic, BNY, Wilkinson Sword and Nuveen to the team, who all join our growing roster of world-class brands who are helping the team transform in pursuit of Championship success.

The livery has been custom designed around the new shape of F1 cars in 2026. New regulations mean the cars are shorter and narrower with significant changes to the front and rear wings – along with other aerodynamic surfaces – designed for even closer racing. The entire team at Grove has been determined to push the boundaries of performance with the FW48, targeting the new regulations as an opportunity to take the next step on Williams’ journey back towards the front.

In 2026 Atlassian Williams F1 Team is looking to build on its most successful season for nine years. Last year the team finished fifth in the Constructors’ Championship with 137 points, secured podium finishes in Baku and Qatar, and took home its first-ever Sprint podium in Austin.

James Vowles, Team Principal, Atlassian Williams F1 Team: “2026 is the next step on the path back towards the top for Atlassian Williams F1 Team as we enter a new era for the sport, and we are excited about the season ahead. We have a great driver line up, some fantastic new partners, an ever-growing fanbase and want to build on the success we tasted last year, but we are not naïve about the challenge ahead of us. Nobody quite knows what will happen at the first race but we are looking forward to finding out, and hope our fans will love cheering us on with this great new livery.”

Alex Albon, Atlassian Williams F1 Team: “It’s always special to see a new livery for the first time, and the FW48 looks incredible. The design really stands out – it’s bold, modern and unmistakably Atlassian Williams F1 Team. I can’t wait for the fans to see it on track and cheer us on in 2026.

Carlos Sainz, Atlassian Williams F1 Team: “The FW48 livery is a real statement of our intent for 2026. The design celebrates Atlassian Williams F1 Team’s heritage while embracing a fresh, dynamic look for the new era. I’m excited to race in this livery and to share the thrill with fans around the world - their support makes all the difference as we continue on our journey  together!”

- Williams Racing

WILLIAMS PROMOTE BROWNING TO F1 RESERVE DRIVER ROLE

© XPB

Williams has officially announced that Academy standout Luke Browning will serve as the team’s Formula 1 Reserve Driver for the 2026 season.

The 23-year-old Briton earns the promotion following a stellar campaign in Formula 2, where he secured a victory and eight podiums on his way to fourth in the championship, alongside impressive performances during three FP1 sessions.

In an exciting twist for his 2026 development, Browning will balance his F1 duties with a full-time seat in the Japanese Super Formula series with Kondo Racing.

This move places him in one of the fastest single-seater categories in the world, and a potential stepping stone to a seat in F1.

Williams team principal James Vowles praised the youngster’s trajectory and the work he has already put in behind the scenes.

“It’s a proud moment to see Luke stepping into the Reserve Driver role from 2026,” he said.

“He has made immense progress since he joined the Academy in 2023 and has supported the team’s journey back to the front of the grid through his involvement in simulator and FP1 work, which has been invaluable as we enter this new era of regulations.

"His Super Formula campaign will allow him to gain more on-track experience and continue his growth as a driver, and we look forward to seeing him back on track as he enters this next stage of his racing career.”

Ready for the Big Stage

For Browning, the appointment represents the culmination of years of hard work within the Williams ecosystem. He is set to work closely with the team's race duo, Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, as the sport enters a transformative period of technical regulations.

“I’m incredibly excited to be stepping up as Reserve Driver with Atlassian Williams F1 Team this year,” Browning said.

“The Academy has been instrumental in my growth, supporting me through both Formula 3 and Formula 2 while giving me the chance to get up to speed with modern F1 machinery through testing and FP1 sessions.

“I look forward to working alongside Alex and Carlos to drive the team forward in this new era for Formula 1.”

- Phillip van Osten

MERCEDES TO SLASH ENGINE CUSTOMERS, HINTS WOLFF

Wolff signals slimmer Mercedes customer roster for next rules era

Mercedes is preparing to tighten its engine supply network in the next regulation cycle, with Toto Wolff making clear the works team doesn’t plan to power as many cars up and down the pit lane as it does now.

Speaking on F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast, Wolff said the company is reassessing how many customers its Brixworth-based High Performance Powertrains division should support when the rules reset after the incoming 2026 era runs its course.

“I think where our current mindset is, also discussing with Ola [Källenius], is that we will reduce the number of teams we are going to supply in the next cycle,” Wolff said. “We don’t know whether the truth is between two and three [in total]… it depends on new regulations going forward. Are they rather simple or not? … It’s not going to be four anymore.”

Mercedes HPP is one of five power unit manufacturers on the grid alongside Ferrari, Honda, Audi and Red Bull Powertrains/Ford. Its hardware sits in the back of the works cars and long-standing partners McLaren and Williams, with Alpine set to join the fold for 2026. That spread has traditionally given Mercedes a data deluge when the lights go out on a fresh ruleset — more cars, more mileage, more feedback — but it also brings logistical heft and earlier design lock-ins that can bite.

“When you consider how many engines we need to ship to Melbourne, for all of us, 16 engines… longer lead times, longer production cycles,” Wolff said. “All of that going forward, it’s not going to be four anymore.”

Hywel Thomas, managing director at HPP, outlined the same push-pull from the factory floor. More partners equals more learning — and more headaches.

“We’ve shown in the past that having more than one team, you’re getting more data, more information… you’ve got four times the engineers all sitting around telling you, ‘No, you can do this better,’ and that is very, very beneficial,” Thomas said. “Doesn’t always feel like it, but it definitely is in terms of making a great product.

“But the flip of that is, we’ve got to make a lot of hardware. We’ve got to make a few decisions earlier. I’m not even sure whether the right place is one team, two teams, three teams, or four teams. There’s definitely a sweet spot in there somewhere. I think it’s probably nearer four than one.”

That “sweet spot” is where the internal debate clearly lives. Wolff wants a leaner roster in the long term; Thomas sees value in a wider customer map. What’s not up for debate is the priority. HPP exists to serve the Mercedes works operation first.

“We are wholly owned by Mercedes. We exist to do one thing, and that’s to win World Championships with Mercedes,” Thomas said. “That’s why I sit in a Mercedes garage, and it’s why the relationships with the engineering group in Brackley are so strong.”

Wolff was even blunter. Customer wins are nice-to-have. The star on the nose is the must-have.

“The raison d’être for HPP is to win World Championships with the works team,” he said. “In order to make the economies work and also to use it as a test bench and a comparison to the works team, it’s good that we have the customer supply situation.

“There will always be a part of Hywel, and I think HPP, that is allowed to cheer for their power unit to have won a championship,” Wolff added. “But the mindset we always had is that this power unit has won a Constructors’ World Championship. That means our car wasn’t good enough… For us, being able to benchmark ourselves, you can at least take the power unit out of the equation. So on the chassis side, we haven’t done that.”

Read between the lines and the plan looks pragmatic. Keep enough partner cars for data and benchmarking — the “test bench” Wolff references — but not so many that Brixworth is forced into conservative choices or long lead times that blunt development agility. In practice, that likely means some of today’s Mercedes-powered teams won’t be by the time the next rules arrive.

For now, Mercedes will head into the 2026 reset with a large footprint and a familiar philosophy: build a PU that can win, use customer programs to accelerate the learning, and make sure the car in silver is the one that cashes the cheques. The next era after that? Fewer shirts to ship, fewer engines to box up, and a tighter circle around Brackley and Brixworth.

- Alex Albuquerque

WILLIAMS UNVEILS SPECIAL LIVERY FOR DEBUT 2026 F1 PRE-SEASON TEST

Williams will sport a special livery during pre-season testing in Barcelona in 2026

Williams has revealed the colour scheme that will adorn the team’s 2026 Formula 1 car across pre-season testing based on a public vote.

The Grove-based squad gave fans the chance to vote on six liveries to select the colours that it will sport in the opening test in Barcelona.

With almost 55,000 votes spread across 162 countries, Williams has revealed that the ‘Flow State’ design is the one that came out on top.

“Thank you to all our incredible Atlassian Williams Racing fans around the world who had their say on how we should enter this new era for Formula 1,” Williams boss James Vowles said.

“Flow State is a worthy winner and we are excited to carry the fans together with us when we hit the track for the first time. There is a lot to look forward to in 2026 and this is just the start.”

Williams is yet to announce when its new car, the FW48, will be launched, as the team attempts to build on a return to the top five in 2025.

Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz will once again be partnered in an unchanged driver duo, while Williams will continue with Mercedes engines.

- Motorsport Week

F1 - LECLERC TOPS OPENING PRACTICE IN LAS VEGAS AHEAD OF ALBON AND TSUNODA

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc went quickest in the opening practice session for the 2025 FIA Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix with Williams' Alex Albon in second place ahead of Red Bull Racing's Yuki Tsunoda and Max Verstappen. Championship leader Lando Norris was sixth with title rival McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastrin P8. 

On a dusty, dirty track surface Isack Hadjar was the first to post a time with the French driver crossing the line in a conservative 1:46.042. His Racing Bulls team-mate Liam Lawson was also on track and the New Zealander was soon on the radio to tell his pit wall that the ‘green’ track was “so slippery”.

Williams’ Carlos Sainz took over at the top of the order thanks to a Medium-tyres time of 1:41.164. He was soon dislodged by Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and then by Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who posted a time of 1:39.733 to move up to P1. 

Hadjar then returned to the top of the timesheet with a lap of 1:39.415 before being dislodged by Sainz who went six hundredths of a second quicker. The Racing Bulls driver responded, however, and once again made his way to P1 with a lap of 1:38.753.

With grip improving steadily, the lap times continued to drop and after Gasly, Sainz, Leclerc and Hadjar all cycled through top spot Sauber’s Nico Hülkenberg then dropped the benchmark to 1:37.370, on the Hard tyre.

It was then the turn of Red Bull Racing’s Yuki Tsunoda who posted a lap of 1:37.094 but the Japanese driver was ousted by title contending team-mate Max Verstappen who took top spot with a lap of 1:36.493 before working his way down to 1:35.776, but attention was focused on championship leader Lando Norris who clipped a barrier with his right rear wheel. The Briton was able to continue, however. 

With the halfway mark in sight the field began to move to performance runs on Soft tyres. With the red-banded tyres on board his Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton immediately jumped to P1 with a lap of 1:35.561. However, he was quickly ousted by Leclerc who hit the top with a lap of 1:35.281, which he then lowered to 1:35.121. 

Verstappen had also bolted on a set of Softs and the four-time champion made his way back to P1 with a time of 1:35.109. However, he was once again pushed back by team-mate Tsunoda who posted a lap of 1:35.071. 

There was no denying Leclerc, however, and he moved back to the top for the final time in the session with a lap of 1:34.802.

Williams’ Alex Albon delivered a late lap of 1:34.968 to rise above Tsunoda who ended the session in in P3, 0.269s off Leclerc, while Verstappen finished fourth ahead of Sainz. 

Norris initially failed to post a clean lap on the Softs but he eventually logged a lap of 1:35.258 to finish in sixth place, almost half a second off Leclerc. 

Isack Hadjar took seventh for Racing Bulls ahead of title contender Oscar Piastri, while Mercedes’ George Russell took ninth ahead of team-mate Kimi Antonelli. 

2025 FIA Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix

1 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1:34.802 29 235.476

2 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1:34.968 0.166 23 235.064

3 Yuki Tsunoda Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:35.071 0.269 27 234.809

4 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1:35.109 0.307 24 234.715

5 Carlos Sainz Williams/Mercedes 1:35.179 0.377 31 234.543

6 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1:35.258 0.456 25 234.348

7 Isack Hadjar Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:35.299 0.497 30 234.247

8 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1:35.450 0.648 27 233.877

9 George Russell Mercedes 1:35.534 0.732 25 233.671

10 Kimi Antonelli Mercedes 1:35.538 0.736 30 233.661

11 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 1:35.561 0.759 26 233.605

12 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1:35.589 0.787 26 233.537

13 Liam Lawson Racing Bulls/Honda RBPT 1:35.709 0.907 28 233.244

14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:35.746 0.944 23 233.154

15 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1:35.894 1.092 25 232.794

16 Oliver Bearman Haas/Ferrari 1:35.990 1.188 28 232.561

17 Esteban Ocon Haas/Ferrari 1:36.123 1.321 30 232.239

18 Nico Hülkenberg Sauber/Ferrari 1:36.170 1.368 25 232.126

19 Gabriel Bortoleto Sauber/Ferrari 1:36.398 1.596 25 231.577

20 Franco Colapinto Alpine/Renault 1:36.758 1.956 28 230.71

 - FIA

WILLIAMS UNVEILS NEW NAME & LOGO FOR 2026

Atlassian Williams Racing will race next year under a new identity that connects the team’s glorious legacy to its bold and ambitious future. From January the team will become Atlassian Williams F1 Team – a name reflecting their sole purpose to race and win in the top echelon of motorsport. Their existing ‘W’ logo will be replaced by a 21st century reimagining of Frank Williams’ famous ‘Forward W’, first introduced in our founding year of 1977 and featured on every one of our nine Constructors’ World Championship-winning cars.

It is the latest evolution for an iconic Formula 1 team that is one of the top three most-successful in the sport’s history – and has set a clear ambition to be a powerhouse again in this modern era of F1.

Throughout almost 50 years in F1 Williams has forged a legacy built on independence, innovation and determination to win, attracting tens of millions of dedicated fans around the world.

Now under the ownership of Dorilton Capital, with James Vowles as Team Principal and world-class drivers in Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, the team is driven to usher in a new era of success with the same passion and values at its heart as F1 continues to expand in global popularity.

This transformation is already gathering pace, with the team sitting fifth in the 2025 Constructors’ Championship with 111 points – more than the past seven seasons combined. The team recently secured its first Grand Prix podium since 2021 in Baku, and first-ever Sprint podium in Austin.

James Vowles, Team Principal, Atlassian Williams Racing: “I am proud that from next year we will be known as Atlassian Williams F1 Team and carry a logo on our car inspired by our founder Sir Frank Williams and deeply connected with our decades of success.

“As a team we are inspired by our past but excited about our future, and committed to writing a new Championship-winning chapter in Williams’ history.

“This evolved team identity reflects who we are, where we are going, and reintroduces our title-winning legacy to a growing F1 audience that was not following the sport when we were last dominant.”

Marcus Prosser, Marketing Director, Atlassian Williams Racing: “With this new name and logo our rich history is being reimagined for the future.

“It is inspired by our past, confident about our future, and clear about our identity – a Championship-winning Formula 1 team with a burning drive to win again.

“We hope our existing and loyal fans will love it. But we also hope it will connect a new generation to our incredible legacy, building the community of Williams fans that will carry us to our next victory.”

- Williams Racing

THE EARLIEST TEAMS TO SECURE WORLD CONSTRUCTIONS CHAMPIONSHIP

 

SINGAPORE GRAND PRIX 2025 | LONGEST STINT

 

TOWNSEND/SINIAKOVA VS. WILLIAMS/FERNANDEZ | US OPEN 2025

 

FORMULA 1 WORLD CONSTRUCTORS CHAMPIONSHIP | 1975-2024

Formula One World Constructors Champions (1975 - 2024).

#FerrariF1, #MaxVerstappen, #LewisHamilton #LandoNorris, #Ferrari, #Max, #FBLifestyle

MOST WINS IN IMOLA | FORMULA 1

 

F1 2025 PRIZE POT