Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya believes Williams is poised for a significant performance leap at the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as the Grove-based team prepares to debut a major upgrade package.
Difficult Spanish Grand Prix Highlights Williams Struggles
The prediction comes on the back of another challenging weekend for Williams at the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix held at the Madrid circuit. Carlos Sainz saw his home race end in retirement, while teammate Alex Albon could only manage a 15th-place finish. The result compounds a difficult 2025 campaign that sees Williams sitting ninth in the Constructors’ Championship with 11 points, ahead of only Aston Martin and Cadillac.
Montoya Anticipates “Huge Step” in Baku
Speaking on F1 TV’s post-race broadcast, Montoya expressed high expectations for the team’s next outing.
“I want to see what Williams brings,” Montoya said of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on F1 TV’s post-race broadcast. “I want to see how much of a step Williams really brings. They even told Carlos today, ‘Sorry for all this pain. Next year, we want to make you proud.’
“Their first big step in the right direction is the next race. So, we’ll see how much of a step in the right direction it is. I think it’s going to be a huge step, and they deserve it. It’s been a rough year for them.”
Vowles Confirms “B-Spec” Chassis Upgrade
Team principal James Vowles previously characterized the impending Baku package as a fundamental overhaul of the current machinery.
“The best way to describe it to you is it’s a B-spec car,” he said in July. “It’s a new chassis, and other bits that go with it at the same time. That will be a large upgrade, that’s true.”
Vowles emphasized that the upgrade serves a dual purpose: delivering on-track performance and validating the team’s internal engineering and production capabilities.
“In terms of our direction of travel, we have to – as a business – prove to ourselves that we can do the engineering to the right level of quality, and build a car to the right level of quality in-season – effectively the equivalency of flying the plane and rebuilding it at the same time.
“We have to prove to ourselves that we have changed from where we were three years ago, and have that capability. And we’re on target to do it at the moment.”
Azerbaijan Grand Prix as a Defining Moment
With the “B-spec” car set to debut on the streets of Baku, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix represents a critical milestone for Williams Racing. The event will offer the first tangible evidence of whether the squad’s restructuring under Vowles can translate into competitive performance and close the gap to the midfield.
