Williams FW48

Last updated
Williams FW48
Category Formula One
Constructor Williams
Designers
  • Pat Fry (Chief Technical Officer)
  • Matt Harman (Technical Director, Engineering)
  • Angelos Tsiaparas (Chief Engineer)
  • Steve Winstanley (Chief Engineer - Composites and Structures)
  • Fabrice Moncade (Chief Engineer - Vehicle Dynamics & Computer Science)
  • Jonathan Carter (Deputy Chief Designer)
  • Richard Frith (Head of Performance Systems)
  • Adam Kenyon (Head of Aerodynamics)
  • Juan Molina (Chief Aerodynamicist)
Predecessor Williams FW47
Technical specifications
Chassis Carbon-fibre monocoque, laminated from carbon epoxy and honeycomb
Suspension (front)Double wishbone, pull-rod activated springs and anti-roll bar
Suspension (rear)Multi-link, push-rod activated springs and anti-roll bar
Engine Mercedes-AMG M17
Electric motor Kinetic and thermal energy recovery systems
Transmission Mercedes-AMG 8 forward + 1 reverse gear seamless sequential semi-automatic shift plus reverse gear, gear selection electro-hydraulically actuated
BatteryLithium-ion battery
Weight772.4 kg (including driver, excluding fuel)
Fuel Gulf
Lubricants Gulf
Tyres Pirelli P Zero (dry)
Pirelli Cinturato (wet)
Competition history
Notable entrants Williams F1 Team
Notable drivers
RacesWins Podiums Poles F/Laps
00000

The Williams FW48 is a Formula One racing car designed and constructed by Williams to compete in the 2026 Formula One World Championship. The car is to be driven by Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz Jr., both in their fifth and second seasons with the team respectively.

Contents

Background

Development

Williams prioritised the development of the FW48 before any other team, with development of the FW47 cut early, allowing for full focus on the FW48 from 1 January 2025. [1] However, the FW48's development has been marked by production delays that saw the team miss the private shakedown test in Barcelona in late January 2026. However, the car was still through simulator prep, recording 500 laps with the Mercedes power unit. Rumours circulated that this was because the car was overweight, however, this was not the case as Williams published the technical specifications showing the cars weight to be 772.4kg, just 0.4kg heavier than the W17. [2] The car made its track debut during a shakedown at Silverstone on 4 February 2026, using a special one-off livery voted by fans. [3] The car is scheduled to make its official on-track debut at the first public pre-season test in Bahrain on 11 February 2026. [4]

Livery

The livery was unveiled on 3 February 2026, at Grove. The livery was similar to its predecessor, FW47. However it differes, featuring a gloss blue base. It incorporates a heritage-inspired red and white keyline, a tribute to the championship-winning FW14B and FW18, alongside prominent light blue and white sections on the sidepods and wings to accommodate new partners, including Barclays. [5] [6]

References

  1. ↑ Diaz-Ndisang, Jaden (11 December 2025). "How Williams unlocked a head start on their 2026 development". Last Word on Motorsports. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  2. ↑ Harden, Oliver (4 February 2026). "Williams confirms car weight for 2026 after alarming rumours eased". PlanetF1. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  3. ↑ "Williams FW48 hits the track for first time at Silverstone". www.formula1.com. 5 February 2026. Retrieved 5 February 2026.
  4. ↑ Harrington, Alex (4 February 2026). "James Vowles explains the gamble that caused Williams to miss the Barcelona test". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  5. ↑ "Atlassian Williams F1 Team reveals bold new racing livery for 2026 | Atlassian Williams F1 Team". williamsf1. 3 February 2026. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
  6. ↑ Foster, Michelle (3 February 2026). "'Brave' Williams unveils FW48 to complete F1 2026 grid". PlanetF1. Retrieved 4 February 2026.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.