Williams F1 prepares for 50th anniversary season in 2027

(Photo by Mark Sutton - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) | Formula 1 via Getty Images The 2026 Formula 1 season is entering the final stretch, starting with next week’s United States Grand Prix in Austin. But teams are already thinking about the 2027 campaign. Not only in terms of developing next year’s challenger, but one team in particular is on the cusp of a huge anniversary. That would be Atlassian Williams, set to celebrate the team’s 50th season in the sport during the 2027 F1 campaign and become only the third team — joining McLaren and Ferrari — to reach 50 years of continuous racing on the Formula 1 grid. During that stretch, Williams has secured nine Constructors’ Championships, and seven Drivers’ Championships. It is a legacy of racing that the team hopes to bring to a new generation of fans in 2027 and beyond. While the team will celebrate the milestone achievement throughout the year, the centerpiece of the celebration will be a ticketed “W50 Live” event open to the public in Waterloo, running from February 11, 2027. through February 28, 2027. This fully immersive event will feature championship-winning cars, some of the most iconic memorabilia in the team’s history, and a “theatrical, multi-sensory journey” honoring the team’s past, present, and future. Some of the cars that will be featured at W50 Live include the FW06, the first car produced by Williams Grand Prix Engineering; the FW11B, which Nelson Piquet drove to a title in 1987; the FW14B, which Nigel Mansell drove to a title and remains one of F1’s most dominant cars; the FW25, which set a record for the fastest average speed in F1 history in Juan Pablo Montoya’s hands, one that stood for 17 years; and the FW38, which still holds the record for the fastest speed ever reached by an F1 car, the 378 kph set by Valtteri Bottas during qualifying for the 2016 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. W50 Live will also feature a show car of the team’s 2027 challenger, which will be named the FW50. This designation skips from this season’s FW48 right to the FW50, to mark the 50-year anniversary, and follows how the team moved from the FW38 to the FW40 to mark a 40-year anniversary. Next year’s FW50 will be piloted by Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz, a driver pairing that also helps mark the team’s 50 continuous years on the grid. This season Albon surpassed Mansell’s record of 95 F1 starts with Williams, making Albon the most tenured driver in the team’s storied history. As for Sainz, he will be one of just three drivers — alongside Mansell and Alain Prost — to have raced for the three teams to reach a 50th anniversary in Formula 1: Ferrari, McLaren, and Williams next season. Fans will also have the opportunity to choose Williams’ livery for the team’s home race at Silverstone. Williams has won eight times at the historic track, and to help mark both 50 continuous years on the grid as well as the team’s special history at Silverstone, Williams is planning a way for fans to pick the design, which will run only at the 2027 British Grand Prix. Williams will also be releasing limited-edition merchandise and collectibles honoring some of the standout moments, personalities, and cars that have forged the team’s history. Those include a W50 Monopoly set and a teNeues coffee table book capturing 50 years of legacy on the F1 grid. Team members, as well as F1 President Stefano Domenicali, hailed the milestone in Thursday’s announcement. “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,” said Williams team principal James Vowles. “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.” “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,” said Albon. “The spirit that Frank Williams started with still drives us as a team, and I can’t wait to experience that throughout the year.” “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,” said Sainz. “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.” “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,” said Domenicali. “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.” In addition to the W50 Live showcase, the team will announce additional events throughout the 2027 at later dates. Want to stay updated on all the latest F1 news? Download the brand new SB Nation app and join our F1 Community! There, you can read all the latest from the paddock and talk about Formula 1 all year long with fans from around the world!

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