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• Calendar of
special events will celebrate one of the most successful constructors in F1
history as it becomes just the third team to hit the milestone • Iconic
cars and memorabilia will form part of W50 Live in London, a unique chance
for the public to travel through five decades of F1 history • Fans will
pick livery for home race at Silverstone, adorning the specially-named FW50
• Alex Albon, Carlos Sainz, James Vowles and F1 boss Stefano Domenicali hail
“incredibly special” team and look forward to marquee year • James
Vowles: “Our celebrations will reintroduce the heroes and stories that have
forged Williams’ legacy to a new generation of fans, who will carry us
forward to reach new heights.”
A ticketed event open to the public
from 11-28 February 2027 at 26 Leake Street in Waterloo, W50 Live brings the
story full circle: just over 50 years after Frank Williams discovered
co-founder Patrick Head working in a garage under a London railway arch, the
team will celebrate its extraordinary legacy beneath the capital’s railway
arches once again, marking nine Constructors’ Championships, seven Drivers’
titles and 114 Grand Prix victories, with the next chapter still to be
written. Tickets will go on pre-sale to W Club members on 26 October, with
general sale following on 29 October. Full information is at williamsf1.com/w50live.
On display will be the FW06, the first car produced by Williams Grand
Prix Engineering; the FW11B, driven to World Championship success by Nelson
Piquet in 1987; the legendary FW14B which dominated 1992 and secured Nigel
Mansell his crown; the FW19, 30 years on from Jacques Villeneuve’s 1997
title win; 2003’s FW25 which set the record for the fastest average speed in
F1 history at the hands of Juan Pablo Montoya that stood for 17 years; and
the FW38 which still holds the record for the highest speed ever reached by
an F1 car – 378kph by Valtteri Bottas.
W50 Live will also feature a
show car of Williams’ 2027 challenger, which will be named the FW50 to mark
the momentous milestone of half a century in Formula 1. The designation
skips straight from this year’s FW48, just as the team skipped from FW38 to
FW40 on its 40th anniversary. Fans will have the opportunity to win a VIP
trip to the FW50 launch and free tickets to W50 Live on williamsf1.com and
through the team’s app.
The FW50 will be driven by Alex Albon and
Carlos Sainz, one of the most formidable line-ups on the grid and a
partnership that embodies Williams’ proud history and bright future. Alex
Albon is the driver with the most F1 starts in team history, having
surpassed Nigel Mansell’s previous record of 95 in Barcelona this year. And
Carlos Sainz is one of just three drivers – alongside Mansell and Alain
Prost – to have raced for the only three teams to reach a 50th anniversary
in F1: Ferrari, McLaren and now Williams. Together, Alex and Carlos are
spearheading the team’s mission to return Williams to the front of the F1
grid.
With W50 Live in full flow in London, Williams will head to
Italy on February 18th for F1 Live Milan: the sport’s showcase three-day fan
event.
Later in the season fans will get the chance to choose
Williams’ livery for its home race at Silverstone – a track that has played
host to some of Williams’ most magical moments. They include the team’s
first victory in 1979 with Clay Regazzoni and its 100th race win at the
hands of Jacques Villeneuve in 1997. In total Williams has won eight times
at Silverstone, with home favourite Nigel Mansell taking three of those wins
and memorably giving Ayrton Senna a lift back on his sidepod after his
dominant 42-second victory in 1991. The team is planning a special way for
fans to pick the design, which will run for one race only at the British GP.
To celebrate the anniversary there will be a series of limited-edition
merchandise and collectible drops honouring some of the standout moments,
personalities and car designs that have made Williams what it is today.
These include a W50 Monopoly set which will go on sale before Christmas, and
a teNeues coffee table book capturing the emotion and passion of 50 years in
F1 – all adorned with a commemorative W50 logo.
Today’s announcement
is just the start, with many more 50th anniversary moments to be revealed
over the coming months.
Alex Albon: “Williams is a very special and
historic team that has created incredible memories for millions of fans
throughout half a century of racing. It will be an honour to represent the
team in its 50th year, and to give the supporters that cheer us on around
the world a chance to be part of the celebrations too. The spirit that Frank
Williams started with still drives us as a team, and I can't wait to
experience that throughout the year."
Carlos Sainz: “Williams is an
incredibly special team to be part of. There’s a real family feel and a set
of values that you rarely find in any sport, and I’m very proud to be part
of that. The 50th anniversary is a great moment to reflect on and celebrate
everything this team has achieved, but it’s also about using that legacy as
a reminder of where we want to be: at the front of this sport, both in terms
of performance and innovation.
“We know what Williams has been
capable of in the past, and now it’s our turn to keep building this team
back into a winning team. It’s not an easy challenge, but it comes with an
exciting journey, and on our 50th anniversary, I trust we will take another
step towards our ultimate goal.”
James Vowles, Team Principal: “It is
incredible to think that over 100 F1 teams have come and gone since Frank
Williams built this team from next to nothing with a determination to race
and win against motorsport’s powerhouses. That independence, passion and
relentless will to win remain in our DNA as we enter our 50th year. Our
celebrations will reintroduce the heroes and stories that have forged
Williams’ legacy to a new generation of fans, who will carry us forward to
reach new heights.”
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO, Formula 1:
“It is incredible to celebrate 50 years of Williams in Formula 1. Sir Frank
Williams built one of the defining teams in our sport, founded on
determination, resilience and an uncompromising desire to succeed. Those
values continue to inspire the team today as it writes the next chapter of
its remarkable story. Williams is not only a vital part of our history, but
of Formula 1's identity, with achievements, memories and moments that will
forever hold a special place in our sport." |