Williams Racing
Atlassian Williams Racing continued their strong run of form in 2025, kicking off the European leg of the season with an impressive double points finish at the 2025 Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix — P5 and P8 — bringing home 14 valuable points.
In a clear sign of the team’s upward trajectory since his arrival, Alex Albon was left slightly disappointed not to leave Imola with a podium, despite a stellar drive that saw him running among the front-runners for much of the race. Ultimately, Albon crossed the line in fifth, while Carlos Sainz delivered a strong recovery to P8 after an early pit stop strategy call.
With the high degradation of the C6 Pirelli tyres, strategy became the defining factor of what is typically a straightforward one-stop race. Both drivers started on the medium compound, holding their P6 and P7 grid positions through a clean opening lap.
Carlos showed a stronger pace than Fernando Alonso ahead, but Imola once again proved its reputation as one of the hardest circuits for overtaking, especially with the cars running heavy fuel loads early on. In response, the team opted to pit Carlos early on Lap 11, aiming to undercut Alonso’s Aston Martin, while Albon was left out longer to capitalise on clear air and stretch his opening stint.
With George Russell pitting alongside Carlos and Alonso boxing a lap later, all three temporarily dropped down the order, opening the track for Albon to push in clean air. While Alonso managed to stay ahead of the undercut, Carlos eventually fought his way past his fellow Spaniard and closed in rapidly on Russell as the FW47 thrived on Imola’s narrow, technical layout.
Alex Albon, Driver, Williams Racing
I’m really happy with today’s result. Without the late Safety Car or the incident with Charles, P4 was definitely within reach — but I’m certainly not disappointed with P5! Looking back at the fight with Charles, I think I’d probably react the same way again. It wasn’t over the line — he was just defending hard — but in the end, it cost me a position to Lewis.
Maybe I could have been a bit more patient, but at that moment, I felt great in the car. I was thinking: ‘Oscar’s ahead on older tyres — I could chase him down!’ Our raw pace today had us solidly in the P4–P5 range. We extended that first stint brilliantly, and it set us up for a strong race. This consistency is giving us a lot of confidence and opens the door to even bigger results. Let’s keep pushing and enjoying every step.
Carlos Sainz, Driver, Williams Racing
It’s tough to take today — I’m obviously disappointed. We had a strong pace all weekend, I felt confident in the car, and once again, we were right in the fight. But for one reason or another, Sundays just haven’t gone our way lately.
Missing out on a top-five finish — especially when we were quicker than both Mercedes and Ferrari — really stings. In hindsight, the early stop combined with the VSC timing compromised our race. We need to keep improving our communication during critical moments. I know better results are ahead. We’ll regroup, stay focused, and come back stronger. On to Monaco — let’s go, team!
James Vowles, Team Principal, Williams Racing
Today was a fantastic result for the team, with another double-point finish. Yet, there’s a lingering sense of what could have been — we knew there was even more on the table. That said, we’ve been consistently fast all year and are making real strides against some of the sport’s biggest names. Running in podium positions on genuine merit speaks volumes about our progress.
Alex delivered an absolutely phenomenal drive. I was on the edge of my seat watching him battle the Ferraris — fearless, committed, and precise. While he came out on the wrong side in some of those exchanges, he still managed to finish ahead of one by the end. I’m incredibly proud of what he achieved today. As for Carlos, it was a difficult call early in the race and, unfortunately, we didn’t get it quite right. But that’s racing. His time will come — we win together, we lose together.
-
![img]()
-
![img]()
George Russell collects Trofeo Bandini Award
George Russell drove a 100-year-old Mercedes to collect the Trofeo Bandini ... Read More+ -
![img]()
What to do before you start your construction business
Construction isn’t just a lucrative industry for would-be entrepreneu... Read More+ -
![img]()
USA Grand Prix – Saturday 16th November 2013. Austin, Texas
Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel has claimed pole position for the USA Gran... Read More+
Related Articles