Williams to name 2027 F1 car FW50, skipping FW49 to mark 50 years with Albon and Sainz
Williams will skip the FW49 name and call its 2027 car the FW50 to mark the team's 50th year, with a London exhibition and a fan livery vote planned.
Williams will call its 2027 Formula 1 car the FW50, skipping the FW49 name to mark the team's 50th year in the sport. The British team announced its anniversary plans on 15 October. They include a public exhibition of title-winning cars in London and a fan vote on a one-off livery for the British Grand Prix. Thailand's Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz will race the car, their third straight season together at the team.
Why FW50 and not FW49
The naming follows the team's own tradition. This year's car is the FW48, so the next chassis would normally be the FW49. Williams did the same for its 40th anniversary in 2017, when it jumped from the FW38 to the FW40. The FW prefix honours the team's founder, Frank Williams.
Williams Grand Prix Engineering made its debut in 1977, at the Spanish Grand Prix. In 2027 it becomes only the third team, after Ferrari and McLaren, to reach 50 continuous years in F1. Over that time Williams has won nine constructors' championships, seven drivers' titles and 114 Grand Prix races.
W50 Live in London
The centrepiece of the celebrations is W50 Live, a ticketed public exhibition in Waterloo, London, running from 11 to 28 February. It returns to the railway arches near where the team's story began.
Six cars from the team's history will be on show:
- FW06, the first car built by Williams Grand Prix Engineering
- FW11B, Nelson Piquet's 1987 title winner
- FW14B, Nigel Mansell's dominant 1992 champion
- FW19, which took Jacques Villeneuve to the 1997 crown
- FW25, the 2003 car driven by Juan Pablo Montoya to a long-standing average-speed record
- FW38, the 2016 car in which Valtteri Bottas set F1's top-speed record of 378kph
A show car of the FW50 in the 2027 livery will join them.
Fans pick the Silverstone livery
Later in 2027, fans will be able to vote on a special livery for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The circuit holds a special place in the team's history, including its first F1 win in 1979. Williams is also preparing limited-edition merchandise, including a W50 Monopoly set due on sale before Christmas. The team says more anniversary events will be announced in the coming months.
Team principal James Vowles said the qualities Frank Williams built the team on are still central to it: "That independence, passion and relentless will to win remain in our DNA."
A Southeast Asian link
For fans in the region, the anniversary season has an extra local interest. Albon, who races under the Thai flag, has been with Williams since 2022 and will be part of the line-up that races the FW50 when the 2027 season begins, alongside Sainz.
Key takeaways
- Williams' 2027 car will be called the FW50, skipping FW49 to mark 50 years in F1.
- Williams will be only the third team after Ferrari and McLaren to reach 50 continuous years.
- W50 Live, a ticketed exhibition in Waterloo, London, runs from 11 to 28 February with six historic cars.
- Fans will vote on a one-off livery for the 2027 British Grand Prix.
- Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz continue as the team's drivers in 2027.
FAQ
Why is Williams skipping the FW49 name? To mark its 50th anniversary in F1. The team did the same in 2017, jumping from FW38 to FW40 for its 40th year.
When and where is W50 Live? In Waterloo, London, from 11 to 28 February, as a ticketed event open to the public.
Who will drive the FW50? Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, who are entering their third straight season together at Williams.
Sources: Formula1.com, The Race, RacingNews365