Williams names 2027 challenger FW50 to mark 50 years in F1

Williams will name its 2027 challenger the FW50 to mark 50 years in Formula 1. This designation skips the FW49 name, repeating the leap from the FW38 to the FW40 used for the team’s 40th anniversary. Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz will partner for a third consecutive season. Albon holds the record for the most Formula 1 starts for Williams after surpassing Nigel Mansell’s 95 starts in Barcelona this year. Sainz belongs to a small group including Mansell and Alain Prost as one of only three drivers to race for Ferrari, McLaren, and Williams. These three teams are the only ones to reach a 50th anniversary on the grid. Carlos Sainz said Williams is an incredibly special team to be part of because of the family feel and values, but he added that building the team back into a winning team is "not an easy challenge". He said he trusts the team will take another step towards its ultimate goal. Alex Albon said the spirit Frank Williams started with still drives the team.

W50 Live exhibition in London

The ‘W50 Live’ exhibition in Waterloo, London, will run from 11 to 28 February 2027. The exhibition at 26 Leake Street will include the FW06, the first car built by Williams Grand Prix Engineering, alongside the FW11B that carried Nelson Piquet to the 1987 title. Visitors can also see the FW14B from Nigel Mansell’s 1992 championship and the FW19 from Jacques Villeneuve’s 1997 title win. The FW25, which set an F1 average speed record under Juan Pablo Montoya that stood for 17 years, will also be present. The FW38, which holds the record for the highest speed ever reached by a Formula 1 car at 378kph, remains on display. A show car of the FW50 will be unveiled during the event. This multi-sensory experience occurs just over 50 years after Frank Williams found Patrick Head working in a garage under a London railway arch. The team’s history includes nine constructors’ championships, seven drivers’ titles, and 114 Grand Prix victories. James Vowles said the team’s independence, passion and relentless will to win remain in their DNA. He noted that over 100 F1 teams have come and gone since Frank Williams built the team.

Fan voting and merchandise

Fans will vote for a one-off livery for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone later in the season. The special design will be used exclusively at the Silverstone race. Silverstone hosted Williams’ first victory with Clay Regazzoni in 1979 and its 100th win with Jacques Villeneuve in 1997. The team won eight times at the circuit, including three victories with Nigel Mansell. Williams will release a W50-branded Monopoly set due before Christmas and a coffee table book documenting 50 years in Formula 1. The team’s Goodwood Festival of Speed appearance will focus on the 30th anniversary of Villeneuve’s 1997 title. The 2027 car will have its official launch in February alongside the FW50 show car. Williams will also hold further celebrations towards the end of the season in December. Stefano Domenicali said Sir Frank Williams built one of the defining teams in the sport, founded on determination, resilience and an uncompromising desire to succeed.