The 2027 Williams F1 will be called FW50 and the team is preparing a year full of celebrations for its 50th anniversary

Next year, Williams wants to rebuild after a very complicated year to pursue its future goal of once again fighting among the biggest teams in F1 and fighting for everything, as in the past. And he will do it, in full celebrations for his 50th anniversary. From the current grid, only Ferrari and McLaren previously reached or exceeded 50 years of competition in F1a milestone that Williams wants to celebrate in a big way with a year full of events and surprises.

The first, revealed this Wednesday at a press conference with international media in which MD was present, will be the name of the car Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon in 2027: the FW50, in honor of that 50th anniversary.

The car of 2026 is the FW48hence Williams skips a number, 49, following the precedent of when the team jumped from FW38 to FW40 to celebrate its 40th anniversary. All this, to give a special name to the car with which Sainz and Albon They hope to return to the fight with more weapons to lead the middle zone and begin to get closer to the dominating teams of the current F1.

Special livery for the 2027 British GP

Another topic will be the decoration of this new FW50. MD asked if the look would change radically to complete that tribute, but the group did not want to reveal details about it. What they did announce is a special decoration that fans of Williams will be able to choose to compete in the 2027 F1 British GP, at home, in front of their fans.

But apart from the name of the 2027 car, Williams is preparing many more things for such a special year. Above all, the English team wanted to highlight the holding of an exhibition in London call W50which will take place from February 11 to 28 in Leake Street, Waterloo.

While this exhibition remains open, the group will travel to Italy on February 18 pto participate in F1 Live Milanthe three-day event that Formula 1 organized to bring the sport closer to the fans and where all the teams will present the appearance of their new cars for the F1 2027 season. There, it is expected that Williams make a special presentation on the occasion of its 50th anniversary.

An exhibition on the history of Williams

“The initiative will close the circle of the team’s history: just over 50 years after Frank Williams discovered his future co-founder Patrick Head working in a garage located under one of London’s railway arches, the team will once again celebrate its extraordinary legacy under the railway arches of the British capital,” said the British team about W50 London.

The exhibition will commemorate the team’s nine constructors’ titles, as well as its seven drivers’ championships and 114 F1 Grand Prix victories, and will showcase some of the team’s most iconic cars, one from each decade.

Among the cars on display will be the FW06, the first single-seater built by Williams Grand Prix Engineering; he FW11Bwith which Nelson Piquet conquered the 1987 World Cup; and the legendary FW14Bwhich dominated the 1992 season and allowed Nigel Mansell become world champion.

They will also display the FW1930 years after the title of Jacques Villeneuve in 1997; he FW25 2003with which Juan Pablo Montoya set the record for the highest average speed in F1 history, a mark that stood for 17 years; and the FW38which still holds the record for maximum speed reached by a Formula 1 car: 378 km/h, recorded by Valtteri Bottas.

This exhibition will also want to look at the future of the team, so there will also be an exhibition car of the car that Williams will compete with in 2027, the FW50.

Besides, Williams prepares a special edition of the Monopoly game and multiple other merchandising products with the W50 logo and multiple collectible items.

Sainz: “There is a real family feeling here”

“Williams is an incredibly special team to be a part of. There is a true sense of family and set of values ​​rarely found in any sport, and I am very proud to be a part of it,” Carlos Sainz said in a team statement.

“The 50th anniversary is a great occasion to reflect on and celebrate everything the team has achieved, but also to use that legacy as a reminder of where we want to be: at the forefront of this sport, both in terms of performance and innovation,” added the Spaniard.

“We know what Williams has been capable of in the past and now it is our turn to continue rebuilding the team to make it a winning team again. It is not an easy challenge, but an exciting journey awaits us and I am confident that, on our 50th anniversary, we will take another step towards our ultimate goal,” concluded the Spaniard.

“Williams is a very special and historic team that has created incredible memories for millions of fans over half a century of competition,” said Alex Albon.

“It will be an honor to represent the team on its 50th anniversary and give the fans who support us around the world the opportunity to be part of the celebrations. The spirit with which Frank Williams launched the team continues to drive us today, and I look forward to living it all year long,” said the Thai.

Vowles: “It’s incredible”

“It is incredible to think that more than 100 Formula 1 teams have come and gone since Frank Williams built this team practically from scratch, driven by his determination to compete and win against the great powers of motorsport,” said Williams Team Principal James Vowles.

“It is not an easy challenge, but an exciting journey awaits us and I am confident that, on our 50th anniversary, we will take another step towards our ultimate goal. That independence, that passion and that unwavering will to win continue to be part of our DNA as we enter our 50th year,” added the team leader.

“Our celebrations will once again bring a new generation of fans closer to the heroes and stories that have shaped Williams’ legacy, and they will be the ones to propel us to new heights,” he concluded.