Williams Tipped for "Huge Step" Forward at Azerbaijan GP with Major Upgrade

Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya expects Williams to take a "huge step" forward at the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix as the team prepares to introduce a major upgrade package. The expectation follows another difficult weekend for Williams at the inaugural Spanish Grand Prix at the Madring circuit, where Carlos Sainz retired from his home race and team-mate Alex Albon finished 15th.

The result adds to a challenging 2026 campaign for Williams, which currently sits ninth in the constructors' championship with 11 points, ahead of only Aston Martin and Cadillac. Speaking on F1 TV's post-race broadcast, Montoya expressed interest in seeing how much progress Williams can deliver in Azerbaijan, noting that the team apologized to Sainz for their current struggles and expressed a commitment to making him proud next year.

Team principal James Vowles previously described the upcoming upgrade package for Baku as a "B-spec" car. He explained in July that the package includes a new chassis alongside other accompanying components, representing a major update for the team.

Vowles added that the team's focus extends beyond potential performance gains, serving also as a test of its engineering systems and processes. He stated that Williams must prove to itself that it can build a high-quality car in-season and demonstrate improved capabilities compared to three years ago, noting that the team is currently on target to achieve this.