Alex Albon somehow managed to nab a top-five finish at the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix by pulling off a daring move on Andrea Kimi Antonelli. It was smooth sailing for him in the second half of the race, as his competition seemed to disappear into thin air.
This performance really showcased how much progress Williams has made this season with their FW47. They are sitting comfortably 17 points ahead of Haas in the constructors’ championship battle for fifth place. They’ve been consistently scoring points in five out of six races and, according to the supertimes, had the fourth-fastest car in Miami.
In the past seven years, Williams finishing in the top five would have been like finding a needle in a haystack. They usually only shone in chaotic, rainy races. But now, it seems like they’ve found their groove and this level of success is becoming the new normal for them.
Looking at the bigger picture, Williams is still a bit behind Ferrari in terms of pace. Ferrari is working hard to level out their inconsistencies and challenge the likes of Mercedes and Red Bull more frequently. On the other hand, Williams is putting all their eggs in the 2026 basket and focusing on long-term development.
But there was something about the Miami track that suited Williams perfectly, especially the high-speed sections. This helped them outpace Ferrari throughout the weekend, as Ferrari struggled to capitalize on their strength in slower corners.
When we look at the race lap distributions of the two teams, it’s clear that Williams had a more consistent pace compared to Ferrari. The Williams duo’s laps were more repeatable, while Ferrari seemed to struggle with overall consistency during the race.
Carlos Sainz, after qualifying sixth, pointed out how well Miami suited Williams right from the start. Despite limited practice time, the car seemed to be in its element and put them comfortably in the middle of the Q3 pack.
Sainz expressed some conflicting feelings about the team’s focus on 2026. He acknowledged the importance of building for the future but couldn’t help but wonder how much more they could achieve if they focused on a few key areas for the current car.
“I see the potential in this car, and it’s hard not to want to develop it further. But I trust the team’s plan for the future and will support them all the way,” said Sainz.
Overall, Williams has shown tremendous progress this season and could potentially challenge for even higher positions if they continue to develop. Their focus on the long-term plan for 2026 is clear, but their current success might make it tempting to shift their attention to the present.
In the end, Williams is looking for stability and assurance for the future. While the decision to focus on 2026 makes sense, the team might find it hard to ignore their current success and the potential for even greater achievements in the present.
And that’s a wrap on Williams’ impressive performance at the Miami Grand Prix. Let’s see what the future holds for this promising team in the world of Formula 1.
