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Motorsport

Lydia Mee

James Vowles reveals when Williams should unlock FW48's full potential

James Vowles Williams Racing the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Williams team principal James Vowles believes the true pace of the FW48 will finally be unlocked around the time of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as the Grove outfit continues its in-season development and weight-reduction programme.

Following a challenging start to the current campaign, Williams has enjoyed a noticeable upturn in form. After the recent point-scoring grands prix, Vowles has admitted that the current iteration of the chassis remains compromised by excess weight. But he is adamant that a clear development plan will gradually reduce the issues.

"There's a little bit more coming again for Barcelona, which is just this weekend. And then beyond there, we have larger steps that will appear in certain races all the way up until past the August break," the team chief explained in The Vowles Verdict.

"Where is the car today? We're still overweight, but it's a significantly reduced number from where we were at the beginning of the season, but not where it needs to be.

"And we will be on the weight limit. It will just be further on in the season from now. And it's painful because what we all do is take the amount of weight, take it off, and look where we'd be on the lap time chart, and we'd be significantly higher up than we are today.

Carlos Sainz, Williams (Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images)

"But that is something we have to fix and address quickly. But it's a fact for today. The good part of that is we will get the weight off the car. And when we do, there's good, what I would call free performance that comes with it as a result.

"In terms of where we're moving forward with this car, as I say, there'll be nice steps coming through all the way to the August break and beyond the August break. And I believe that as we go beyond the August break towards the Baku time, you'll see the full potential of this car come forward, and we'll see where we are relative to all of the other teams, but I expect us to keep moving up the field."

Williams currently sits eighth in the constructors' championship with 11 points.

Photos from Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

52 Formula 1

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team, Franco Colapinto, Alpine, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Arvid Lindblad, Racing Bulls

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Lando Norris, McLaren

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Dino Beganovic, Ferrari

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Dino Beganovic, Ferrari

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Frederik Vesti, Mercedes

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Jean Todt, former FIA President

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Dino Beganovic, Ferrari

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Paul Aron, Audi F1 Team

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Lando Norris, McLaren

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Ayumu Iwasa, Oracle Red Bull Racing

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Cadillac car tech detail

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Racing Bulls car tech detail

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Steve Nielsen, Managing Director, Alpine F1 Team

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Audi F1 Team with Marc Marquez.

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Marc Marquez in the Audi F1 Team R26 in the garage.

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team, Marc Marquez

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Gabriel Bortoleto, Audi F1 Team

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Flavy Barla arrives in the paddock.

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Lando Norris, McLaren

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

Lando Norris, McLaren

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

George Russell, Mercedes

Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix - Friday

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