Williams reveal three behind-the-scenes secrets key to best-of-rest status

Williams has outlined the three key changes that have helped transform it from a backmarker in 2024 to the head of Formula 1’s midfield this season.

Under the leadership of former Mercedes strategist James Vowles, Williams has been undergoing a massive restructuring process with the ultimate aim of winning a world title for the first time since 1997.

The first fruits of Vowles’ labour bore fruit this year, with the FW47 marking a substantial leap over its predecessor and becoming a regular points contender.

With Alex Albon performing at his very best and Carlos Sainz also contributing to the points tally despite a challenging first half of the year, Williams holds fifth place in the championship and is on course for its best season since 2016.

Vowels revealed that three key changes he instigated have made Williams into the best-of-the-rest team behind the ‘big four’ in F1.

Fixing delivery pipeline

Firstly, Williams has reduced the lead time required to produce new parts, ensuring that developments hit the track as quickly as possible after being conceived in the wind tunnel/CFD.

“Last year the car was very heavy, we didn't have the right amount of spare parts,” Vowels explained.

“We effectively threw a lot of technology through in terms of ideas but could not deliver on the back end of it. 

“One of the biggest fixes we've been putting in place for the last 24 months is making sure we can deliver from what we call 'cradle to grave', but from concept to track as quickly as possible at the right cost level.

“And that's one of the biggest changes and you can see that with this year's car, the car was on time, we had plenty of spares around us.

“We can develop multiple updates across the year. We've done multiple front wings, multiple packages. That's a change if you look back at Williams' history, and that's been one of the key changes. So on the weight limit, the right product at the right time. “

Improving the business

In a cost-cap era, it is important that Williams functions smoothly as a business. By focusing on Key Performance Indicators, Vowels can run the team more efficiently and gain an edge over its direct rivals.

“Number two is KPIs that aren't as exciting to the outside world because only I can see them, but what I'm looking at is fundamentally, how much we can push through our organisation and our factory in any one given week. 

“So whether that's in production or design, effectively, how many releases can we do in a week, how many of those can be pushed through production in a week, how much do we push external, and we're in a much better place for a cost cap world. 

“That's what we've been really trying to fix because it now gives me more money to then make sure we build the organisation and fix the organisation.”

He added: “We don't use Excel spreadsheets anymore, and I joked about it two years but I wasn't joking at the time. But we're now in a situation of using modern day ERP and PLM tools in order to design and build the car. 

“That's a big change and there's more changes this week that have helped us again for our future.”

Improved communication

Williams’ headcount has grown in recent years and it’s important for Vowles that the new hires are united in achieving the team’s long-term goals.

“The next one is that we are communicating,” he said. “I know this sounds really strange, but the organisation built up from 200 people to 700 people, 800 people, but everyone stayed in in [the mindset of] what they knew and how to do - and that's not how you become successful in the modern day Formula 1. 

“You need all 1000 people working together, so you're one team, not separate entities.”