The 16-Time World Champion Racing Team Is Looking Good at Baku

James Vowles, team principal of Atlassian Williams Racing, has repeatedly made the claim that the Williams FW47 is well-suited to the Baku Circuit. After the three Free Practices, that claim is gaining merit. Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz both experienced some trouble during practice on Friday, which they would credit to experimenting with tire compounds in preparation for Qualifying. There was optimism for the soft compounds being introduced in FP3, and they seemingly made a difference as Albon achieved seventh place in the practice ranks for the day. Having failed to reach Q3 in Monza, the team is aiming to look strong heading into the latter end of the season.

Confidence in the FW47 largely stems from the car's versatility. Especially in the high-wind conditions, which led to several incidents during the practices, Williams’ car was able to maintain a strong pace through the rapid turns of Baku. For most of their time on the track, Albon and Sainz displayed strong control that was necessary given the conditions. As many drivers wound up in the gravel, the Williams duo remained collected and demonstrated the flexibility of the car through turns and straights alike. Williams made it through practice relatively unscathed, although Albon did make some contact with the barriers in FP3, minor compared to some of the other incidents. On Friday, several drivers either went significantly off-track or, in the case of McLaren driver Lando Norris, into the wall. 

Williams may find some trouble with overtakes as other teams may be able to achieve higher speeds on some of the straights. An opportunistic approach to the twistier areas, especially around turns 11 and 12, will be crucial to climbing the ranks. Based on the results of the practices, Albon is looking to have a good shot at starting in the center of the grid and close distance on the early straights and working to create an opening later. Carlos Sainz has not maintained the same speed that Albon has shown, but he has a chance at achieving a middle starting position for Sunday. During Qualifying, it’s likely that the two drivers will work together along the shoreline, with the hopes of having both drivers make it to Q3.