Drivers Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant to hit track on February 13
Williams Racing has revealed the livery that will adorn the FW45, the team’s new challenger for the 2023 FIA Formula One World Championship season. Williams Racing also announced major partners, with Gulf Oil, Stephens, Michelob ULTRA and PureStream joining the team from the 2023 season.
The 2023 livery design is an evolution of the FW44, retaining the brand visual cues which features a contrasting diamond shape and flashes of red and blue, embodying the exciting new era of Williams Racing. This year’s design features a colour finish change to matte, providing a stronger on track visual.
The FW45, which will be rolled out on February 13, is an evolution of the FW44.The floor edges have been raised to satisfy the updated 2023 FIA technical regulations and the team has taken the opportunity to heavily evolve the sidepod concept, which has been made possible by optimising the power unit cooling layout. There are also modifications to the front suspension layout as well as the major external aerodynamic surfaces. As a result, the FW45 is more aerodynamically efficient than the FW44, with more overall downforce and improved handling characteristics. The 2023 Pirelli tyres are an evolution of the 2022 version and the FW45 is optimised to the improved characteristics of the new tyres.
For 2023 Williams Racing has an exciting driver line-up, with Alex Albon beginning his second year with the team, after an impressive season in 2022, scoring points in multiple races. American driver Logan Sargeant joins as Albon’s team-mate, after climbing the ranks from the Williams Racing Driver Academy. The 22-year-old will make his F1 debut at the upcoming Bahrain Grand Prix.
The FW45 will hit the track at Silverstone on February 13, with both race drivers, Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant, undertaking driving duties. Williams Racing Brand Ambassador and 2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button will also be in attendance to see this year’s car complete its first laps.
James Vowles takes over as team principal. He joins on February 20 from Mercedes F1 Team, bringing a wealth of experience and strategic capabilities that will lead the team and help push Williams Racing both on and off-track.
“I’m really excited to be starting back for another year with the team,” Albon said. “The car looks great and will hit the track at Silverstone. The team has worked really hard last year and over the winter to address some key areas in our car, putting in the work to try and maximise what we get out of the car for 2023, so I’m looking forward to seeing what the FW45 can do. We also welcome new partners to the team this year, so it’s great to have them onboard.
“I’m really excited for the season to get started after what, for me, feels like a long winter,” Sargeant added. “I’m super motivated and we’ve put a lot of hard work in. The car is looking amazing and it shows the huge effort the team has put in the off season, so I’m looking forward to getting started at Silverstone before heading out to Bahrain.”
