Williams balance sheet in 2023: In progress
The British team finished the season in 7th place in the championship. The year 2023 has been one of renewal, and promises much for the years to come.
Williams has regained its form this year. The nine-time world champion constructor finishes 2023 in 7th place in the constructor standings, its best result in six years (5th in 2017). With 28 points, the Grove-based team finishes just three points ahead of AlphaTauri, but has had a very positive season under the leadership of James Vowles.
Car performance
Under Jost Capito, Williams had decided to capitalize on its strengths and bet everything on its top speed to score some points. In 2023, the FW45 was designed with the same philosophy, but with more consistency in its performance. Its astonishing top speed exacted a toll on many drivers, who struggled to overtake. Nonetheless, the British car also excelled on more technical tracks.
Despite everything, the FW45 has also been sometimes inconsistent and has struggled to perform well on certain weekends. The underperformance in Vegas (5th and 6th on the grid with no points at the finish) is one of the symbols of the few hiccups experienced by Williams this season.
Reliability
On that side, not much to blame Williams for. Their drivers have retired 11 times this season (7 for Sargeant, 4 for Albon), but only three times due to mechanical issues. That’s better than the teams behind, and it’s further evidence, if needed, that these 2022/2023 cars are more reliable.
Optimization of the strategy
Williams did its best to maximize opportunities. Apart from Vegas, the Grove team managed to capitalize on its good qualifications to score points. Starting from Bahrain (15th and 16th on the grid, 10th and 12th at the finish), Albon and Sargeant demonstrated their ability to make their way through the pack thanks to well-executed strategies.
As evidence, Alex Albon only lost positions compared to his starting position on 5 occasions, excluding retirements. The Thai driver, the spearhead of his team, otherwise always gained ground, entering the points in eight Grand Prix.
Teammate duels
Qualifications: Sargent 0 – 22 Albon
Course: Sergeant 3 – 18 Albon
This is the most unbalanced duel on the grid. There was absolutely no match between Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant. The Thai driver crushed his teammate, who never managed to beat him in qualifying. In reality, the American did not beat him in the race either, as his 3 “victories” were actually due to retirements from the former Red Bull driver.
Sargeant, who finishes his first season with only one point on the board, never managed to perform at the level of his teammate. Albon, on the other hand, carried Williams by scoring 27 out of the 28 points that allowed the team to finish 7th. However, it should be noted that the end of the season for the Fort Lauderdale native was much more positive and he closed the gap with his teammate. It will be necessary to confirm in 2024.
