While waiting for Sauber this evening, the first presentation of the day saw the Williams reveal your own car for the 2024 season, FW46 which will be led by Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant. The livery is a natural evolution of the 2023 one: it features a slightly darker blue and the new Komatsu sponsor on the sides.
Williams FW46, characteristics and particularities
The model used for the presentation is that of the 2023 car, however there should be interesting news on the new FW46. If the rear end should remain essentially the same as the FW45, the government will be revolutionized, becoming decidedly more tapered compared to the 2023 version, wider and more traditional.
also the bellies they will be slightly different: wider compared to last year. In any case, we will only see the real FW46 on the occasion of the shakedown of the 20 February and test winter events that will take place in Bahrain from the 21 23 February. The impression, however, is that of the arrival of a car with obvious changes.
The drivers also seem to like the livery. “I like the livery, it's clean”, explains Alex Albon during the presentation of the car. He is also joined by his partner Logan Sargeant: “The livery is as youthful , is clean. And clean usually means fast. Indeed, it seems easier to drive".
Team principal James Vowles also spoke during the presentation, focusing on the improvement on and off the track compared to the start of 2023. “If we look at last year's livery and this year's livery, we can see a increase in sponsors who support us on our journey".
Goals for 2024
Having just arrived at Williams at the beginning of 2023, the former head of Mercedes strategy had decided to stop the development of the FW45 early to concentrate all efforts on the car for the 2024 season. Despite this, Williams managed to close seventh in the constructors' championship, their best result since 2017, when they reached fifth place with Felipe Massa and Lance Stroll.
"We added downforce – explained Vowles to Motorsport.com - but the area where we worked harder was the one relating to behavior and features of the car. I think there's a lot of untapped potential there.".
Despite Verstappen's dominance, 2023 has seen one of the closest battles for mid-pack positions. A marked improvement on Williams' part would therefore mean a big leap forward in terms of positions in the championship, assuming that the other rival teams don't do the same.
In any case, the truth obiettivo of Williams and Vowles is to be a fight at the front in 2026, when there will be a regulatory change. The next two seasons will not only be transitional, but the date circled in red on the calendar is 2026, the first real opportunity to make a big leap forward.
