Further development in '23? Albon drove at Williams back in April for 2024

Williams has taken a big step forward this season. Yet the English team is far from satisfied with seventh place in the constructors' championship standings. Williams is already busy working on the 2024 car, which should continue its way up on the grid.

The 2023 season is in its summer break, but the team headed by James Vowles has been working on the car for next season for a long time. Alex Albon, who has already captured 11 points for Williams, has already sat in the car for next year. Not recently for the first time, but as early as last April. "I started working on next year’s car since April on the simulator," the Thai told Speedcafe.

Williams working on better balance

"Working and changing the car characteristics to try to mitigate some of these constant balance issues we’ve been having for the last four or five years. That’s been a big focus for next year," said Albon, who realises that working for the long term means there will be less development in the short term.

It is well known that Williams has a five-year plan and ultimately hopes to be competing for wins by then. Attracting Vowles - who came over from Mercedes - in late 2022 was the first signal that Williams' owners are serious. It was recently announced that Pat Fry will start as technical director in November. He served in the same role at Alpine in recent years.