Alex Albon has conceded that Williams’ Baku upgrade package will not be enough to salvage its season this year in Formula 1.
The Grove-based team has endured a largely uncompetitive first-half of the 2026 season.
Starting off F1’s latest era on the back foot, after missing out on the private shakedown in January, the duo of Albon and Carlos Sainz have only managed to score 11 points across the 11 rounds run so far.
The British-Thai driver had recently remarked that the FW48 had “two or three years” worth of rectifying before Williams could get its car concept on the right path.
Albon doubled down on his prediction, simply refusing the prospects of the team’s scheduled upgrades for the Azerbaijan GP in September magically unlocking pace from its package.
“We know the weaknesses of the car, we know the directions,” he said.
“I think as a team, this year, the work that’s being done at the factory, it’s the biggest effort I’ve seen from the team to really fight these genetic DNA problems that this team has.
“I appreciate it, I think we’re doing exactly the right things to get back on track. It’s a shame that we’re here in the first place, but I do believe we’re doing the right thing.
“If it’s cured by Baku? I doubt it. I think a lot of the Baku stuff has happened. That upgrade was planned quite a long time ago.
“A lot of what we’re really, unfortunately, biting into is next year’s car. It’s making sure next year’s car doesn’t have these traits – frustrating!”
“frustrating” Williams FW48 quirks in F1 2026
The British marque has quite a few gremlins to eliminate on its car. Not only is the FW48 an overweight car, but it is also a massively unbalanced concept.
Albon explained how the inherent characteristics of Williams’ 2026 car have forced him to “under-drive”, creating the illusion that he’s been error-prone when simply the car has been unforgiving with its quirks.
“Honestly, driving-wise, it’s frustrating because I can’t even drive really,” Albon said after the Hungarian GP.
“The team’s not getting the best from me because I have to under-drive so much: the gusts, the wind, the track. We talk about that three-wheeling.
“It’s just, you try and push. I think there were six laps in the race where the wind stabilised and I could finally settle down and get into a rhythm.
“Then the wind picks up again, and you’re back into that cycle. It feels like you’re making mistakes, but you’re not.
“You’re just braking at the same places, doing the same things, but just lacking consistency. It was a battle out there today.”
Up next for Albon and Williams is the Zandvoort circuit for the final Dutch GP, late in August – a track that has been one of the stronger circuits for the British-Thai driver.
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