The Williams F1 team is facing an unprecedented challenge after a bruising double-header at the Mexico City and São Paulo Grands Prix, where drivers Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto racked up five major crashes. With just two weeks until the Las Vegas Grand Prix, Williams’ team principal James Vowles admitted that they are grappling with a shortage of spare parts, making it difficult to field both cars with their latest spec.
The mayhem began in Mexico, where Albon’s practice crash with Haas’ Oliver Bearman was followed by another incident at the start of the race, this time with VCARB’s Yuki Tsunoda. In São Paulo, Albon’s misfortunes continued as he crashed in wet qualifying, leaving his team no time to repair his car for the race.
Colapinto also had a rough weekend in Brazil. After crashing in qualifying, he later spun out in extreme wet conditions during the Grand Prix itself, colliding with the barriers under the Safety Car. These incidents have left Williams scrambling to ensure they have enough parts to get both cars ready for the season’s penultimate race in Las Vegas.
“There’s no team on the grid that can cope with five major accidents in two weekends,” Vowles said. “Simply, the matter of spares we carry are not sufficient to handle that amount of attrition.”
Despite the setbacks, Vowles is hopeful about the team’s chances in Las Vegas. “Vegas, I have high hopes for. We were fast there last year, and I’m confident we can make it work,” he shared. Yet, with damaged components still being returned from Brazil, the team faces a race against time to prepare.
While Alpine leaped ahead with a double podium in Brazil and a successful Sprint, Vowles emphasized that Williams’ recent setbacks don’t overshadow the positive strides the team has made under his leadership. Williams currently stands ninth in the Constructors’ Championship with 17 points, while Alpine’s 35-point weekend catapulted them to sixth.
Reflecting on the recent ordeal, Vowles acknowledged the emotional toll: “The Brazil weekend was probably the most brutal that I can remember across my entire career,” he confessed. “But I came here to fight for wins, not just occasional points, and setbacks like these are part of a multi-year rebuilding plan.”
Vowles firmly believes that this period of struggle is merely a “blip” on the team’s path toward becoming a competitive force again. “This team is rebuilding itself into a state where it can win races in the future,” he said. “It’s painful, but it hasn’t changed our destination.”
As Williams enters the final triple-header of the season, all eyes are on their ability to bounce back and close out the season with resilience. Vowles remains undeterred, focused on steering the team back to the front, no matter the challenges along the way.
