Albon says Sainz’s Baku podium didn’t change Williams — it confirmed what’s coming
Williams’ mood has shifted from hopeful to hungry, and it’s not because of one shiny trophy. Carlos Sainz’s podium in Baku lit up Grove, sure, but according to Alex Albon, the spark was already there. The result just proved the point.
“The culture and the energy in the place is addictive,” Albon said ahead of Singapore. “I don’t think the podium suddenly invigorated everyone; it felt more like validation. A taste of what’s next.”
There’s a reason that sentiment lands. Under James Vowles, Williams has gradually stopped behaving like a team braced for impact and started acting like a team that expects to matter on Sundays. The investment from Dorilton set the floor; the hires, the structure and a clear plan have been doing the rest. Sainz’s arrival has added steel. And Albon, battle-hardened by the last few years, has been the constant through the rebuild.
Baku was the tell. Sainz stuck the car on the front row and brought it home third on merit. Albon’s weekend went the other way after a qualifying crash, but it didn’t change the takeaways. The FW47 had pace, and it had it where it counts.
“When I first joined, there was a bit of a mindset of ‘this is where we belong,’” Albon admitted. “James came in and a lot changed: belief, confidence, being open to trying things. There’s a hunger now to be a top team. That’s not an easy switch to flip.”
He’s insistent the foundations were laid earlier than the results suggest. The outside world saw 2024 as a stumble; Albon argues it’s when the groundwork really went in. The payoff is arriving now.
“From ’23 to ’24, people probably thought we took a step back in performance. But the roots of the team changed the most then,” he said. “What you’re seeing this year comes from changes we made a couple of years ago.”
How far along is this project? Not as far as you might think — which is the exciting bit if you’re wearing blue.
“We’re maybe 60 to 70 percent through our journey — maybe less — and we can already fight for a podium,” Albon said. “There are so many areas we still haven’t unlocked. With what we’ve got, we’re nipping at the heels of the top teams. That makes me believe even more.”
No one at Grove is selling the fairy tale, and that suits the drivers just fine. Vowles’ plan is described internally as methodical rather than romantic; no glossy promises, just steps that line up.
“It’s not ‘next year we’re at the very front,’” Albon added. “It’s calculated and realistic. And so far, it feels like we’re on the road he laid out.”
As for a sequel to Baku under the lights of Marina Bay? Temper the expectations. Street circuit-to-street circuit comparisons only go so far.
“Even though you might think it’s similar, Singapore asks different things from the car — temperatures, bumps, the way the track evolves,” Albon said. “I’m a bit more pessimistic for the weekend, but points are definitely on.”
That’s where Williams is now: not getting carried away, but not surprised when the car belongs near the sharp end. The resonance of Sainz’s podium wasn’t shock — it was recognition. For a team that’s spent too long chasing its own past, that’s the biggest shift of all.
