The Williams hype train rages on, Albon’s stunning Melbourne performance proves the team’s ambitions are justified

New year, new me without a doubt could be said about the Williams team in the 2025 Formula 1 season. A new driver lineup, a freshly developed version of their problematic 2024 car, and most importantly an abundance of pace. With the experienced Carlos Sainz strengthening the British team, Alexander Albon who has been the team leader since 2022 had to prove himself on the season opener in Australia.

Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 season opener in Australia, retrieved from WilliamsF1.

The iconic Formula 1 team, which has won 9 constructor’s titles over the years, had been hyped up ahead of the race weekend in Melbourne due to their strong pace in winter testing. This expectation turned out to be no fluke, as the Williams duo put both cars into the top ten in qualifying on Saturday. Albon crucially managed to outqualify his new Spanish teammate, showing who is the boss, for now at least.

This result would have surely put a smile on the mechanic’s faces, as last year their Australian Grand Prix involved a workload to the extreme. In 2024, Albon had a hard shunt into the wall in the first practice session of the weekend. The Williams crew had no spare chassis and therefore ran just one car for the remainder of the weekend, sidelining Logan Sargeant. Ultimately, Albon just missed out on points on that occasion. Throughout the 2024 F1 season, the drivers often emphasized how much of a handful the FW46 was to drive.

The Formula 1 season of 2025 kicks off on a high for Williams

A double top ten start was perhaps the best team principal James Vowles could have hoped for ahead of the weekend. His team had an outstanding chance at grasping a massive points haul to start their 2025 campaign. The race Down Under was tampered by changeable conditions, earlier on the day Formula 3 and Formula 2 did not complete their full races due to monsoon like rain. Luckily for all motorsport fans around the world, the Formula 1 Grand Prix got going as planned. After a delayed start due to a crash of rookie Isack Hadjar on the formation lap, the race finally got underway for real.

Unfortunately, Albon lost out to both Ferraris at the opening corners of the race in tricky conditions. The Thai, however, still managed to hold on to a points scoring position. The safety car was brought out on the first lap as Doohan crashed in his first ever home Grand Prix, and sadly for the Williams team they would see one of their FW47s in the wall at the final corner. Sainz had a gearbox issue which saw him heading off the track uncontrollably and terminally damaging his vehicle, luck just was not on the side of last year’s Australian Grand Prix winner.

Carlos Sainz's Williams in the wall at the opening lap of the Australian Grand Prix, photo by Rudy Carezzevoli, retrieved from GettyImages.

For the remainder of the race, Albon was fighting Tsunoda and Hamilton. Then, a sudden change spiced things up once more as rain approached the track. Albon’s crew called their driver in for wet weather tires at the perfect time, where the likes of Hamilton and Leclerc from Ferrari carried on just one too many laps. After those drivers made their pit stop, Albon would be in fourth place. The Thai did get tangled up in a fight with the faster Mercedes car of Antonelli, who had started in sixteenth. There was simply no holding the young Italian back from an overtake. Ultimately, due to a penalty for the Mercedes driver, Alex Albon would be promoted into fourth anyway. Though, that lasted only momentarily as the FIA later rescinded the five second penalty for Antonelli.

Alex Albon has positive feelings all around

Post race, a gloating Albon appeared in front of the cameras. Though these sort of changeable weather conditions are strategist’s, and some driver’s, worst nightmares, the Thai explained: "I back myself in these conditions, I know my limits and I know not to overpush it. The Williams driver also outed his pride for the team, as he happily told the media his FW47 “feels like a totally different car compared to last year.”

Albon during qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix enjoying his FW47, retrieved from WilliamsF1.

A strong start to the season confirms William’s ambitions to become the best midfield team in the 2025 Formula 1 season. Naturally, Albon felt a similar way after the first round of the championship: “It’s all to play for. Realistically, we’re fighting for the P9/P10s every race, so points like today mean a lot. I’m interested to see how the season plays out,” as he continued: I think that it’s not very clear still who’s going to pip who in the midfield.”