Williams Team Principal James Vowles has insisted the team’s cooling issues are now “behind us” following a series of upgrades introduced ahead of the British Grand Prix.
After reliability concerns earlier in the season, Vowles confirmed on Saturday that the fixes made before Silverstone have proven effective, with no further performance compromises seen since.
Williams has faced persistent cooling issues throughout the 2025 season, with problems surfacing most notably at Miami, Canada, and Austria — races where high ambient temperatures and demanding layouts led to performance losses and retirements.
Both drivers struggled in the Montreal heat, but only Alex Albon was forced to retire, as overheating ultimately ended his race.
At the Red Bull Ring, Carlos Sainz didn’t even start the race after his brakes caught fire in the pits, with Albon, who was running inside the points, later retiring due to similar issues.
In Spain, the team also struggled, although they managed to avoid any retirements.
Ahead of qualifying on Saturday, Vowles spoke about the progress made to address the cooling problems.
“The cooling issues are all behind us now,” he told media including Motorsport Week. “So we made changes before Silverstone.
“We did a lot of work for Silverstone to make sure that they were working the way we wanted to.
“As I already said to the world, that cost us a few milliseconds. And here this weekend it cost us nothing as well.”
The cooler, rain-affected conditions at both Silverstone and Spa temporarily disguised the team’s overheating issues.
With engine and brake temperatures naturally lower, Williams avoided the thermal stresses that had plagued earlier races, allowing Albon to capitalise with strong performances at both venues.
Since temperatures at the Hungaroring are typically high, Vowles’ promise will soon be put to the test — whether it holds true or not.
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