Williams development driver Victor Martins has revealed the team has “more updates coming” as it continues to tackle a difficult 2026 Formula 1 season.
The Grove-based squad’s superb 2025 showing has been undone by an overweight FW48, which set the team back in its general development, causing it to miss the ‘shakedown week’ in Barcelona in January.
Overall improvements have been implemented, with points finishes secured, but it is a long way off competing on a regular basis in the midfield, something it conquered with aplomb last year, finishing fifth in the Constructors’ Championship.
The 2026 season has seen teams struggle with interpretations of the convoluted new regulations cycle, and Williams has certainly found many obstacles.
But Martins, speaking exclusively to Motorsport Week at the Belgian Grand Prix weekend, explained how the team is “pushing everything at the limit” to improve its slide down the order.
“I think first, the new regulation is always bringing new things on the table, new opportunities, but new problems,” he said.
“And then it’s a bit like how you see things. I think inside Williams, I can feel that everybody is pushing everything at the limit to focus on the possibility to improve.”
Williams ‘hungry to be back’
Martins is occupying his role at Williams in an unenviable time, but there is a wave of positivity emanating from the Frenchman, who explained that there is an approach of “small steps” being implemented to halt the trajectory and return the team back to the midfield on a regular basis.
“They all want to first know the direction to take, but I think this is for sure we know it, the direction to take and what to improve,” he said.
“We just need to do small steps every time, race after race.”
“And being part of that is quite nice as a driver because you learn a lot. You learn a lot about how the team is operating and the overall approach about an F1 team.
“So definitely, I think everyone is hungry to be back and there will be more updates coming for sure. And everyone will be happy to see that it’s performing on track at some point.”
Martins continues to fulfil his role whilst doubling up with a seat with Alpine’s WEC squad, which is in its final season before it withdraws from the championship.
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