F1 2026 Mid-Season Grades: Williams Takes Shocking Step Backwards

Williams arrived at the 2026 season with big ambitions. After sacrificing 2025 development for the new regulations, the Grove-based squad hoped to leap forward. But the first half of the season has been a rude awakening: the late, overweight FW48 has left the team mired in ninth place in the constructors' standings with just 11 points.

Last year, Williams surprised everyone by jumping from ninth to fifth, securing two podiums with Carlos Sainz in his first year. Sainz's decision to choose Grove over Sauber/Audi seemed to validate the long-term project. Now, though, the team struggles to escape Q2, and since the Miami Grand Prix, neither Sainz nor Alex Albon has scored a single point.

Williams' problems echo those of Aston Martin. The radical regulation changes stressed their internal systems to the limit. The car was late, missing the Barcelona shakedown entirely, and when it finally appeared, the FW48 was significantly overweight and lacked aerodynamic load. The team is now in survival mode until its last major upgrade arrives around September's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

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This slump has inevitably sparked speculation about the drivers' futures. Sainz admitted the shocking campaign has "tested my faith for sure", but team boss James Vowles remains bullish. He insists both drivers want to stay, but that faith must be repaid with tangible progress.

Vowles acknowledged that Williams still lags in organizational efficiency. "I know what efficient organisations look like. Even today, we are struggling to do a lot of what the others can do," he said. "That is on us to fix, while moving forward on track."

There is a glimmer of hope: Williams has bolstered its technical team with former McLaren man Piers Thynne and ex-Mercedes engineers Dan Milner and Claire Simpson. But rebuilding takes time. The 2026 season may be beyond saving, but the late-season upgrade will be a key test of whether Williams can truly turn things around.