F1 2024 season review: Williams' year from crash hell

Williams entered the 2024 F1 season as a team that looked on the rise after finishing seventh in the 2023 constructors' standings. 

It retained a mixed driver pairing, featuring a clear team leader in Alex Albon and the uninspiring Logan Sargeant. 

Unfortunately, a mid-season driver change was required by the Grove-based team, who surprised everyone by promoting its academy driver, Franco Colapinto, to replace an out-of-his-depth Sargeant.

The team failed to replicate its highs from last year, tumbling to a miserable ninth in the standings on just 17 points. 

For a team that was almost at the foot of the pecking order, it did feature on TV cameras far too often, caused by an unbelievable volume of heavy crashes. 

It was a huge shunt in Zandvoort which cost Sargeant his job, whilst Albon and Colapinto also played their part in Williams' mind-blowing repair bill. 

The true heroes at Williams were its mechanics, who in a record-breaking 24-race season, spent several nights ensuring two cars could be driven. 

On multiple occasions, that was not possible, with Sargeant sidelined in Australia so Albon could use his tub, whilst the Thai-British driver's car was too damaged to race in São Paulo.

Alex Albon, Logan Sargeant and Franco Colapinto

In their second campaign together, Albon and Sargeant formed one of the weaker driver pairings on the grid. 

Similarly to 2023, Sargeant was no match for the experienced Albon, who excelled in an underwhelming FW46. 

Despite this, it was not until the eighth round in Monaco where Albon scored the team its first points of the season.

Too many mistakes were made by both drivers, although Albon still out-qualified Sargeant 13-0 before the American driver was axed. Their race head-to-head result was also 11-2 in Albon's favour. 

After Sargeant's heavy, but also avoidable, practice crash in Zandvoort, it was evident that team principal James Vowles had to take action. 

That action was replacing Sargeant with rookie Colapinto from the Italian Grand Prix until the end of the season. 

To his credit, Colapinto stunned the F1 paddock with his raw pace and ability, which saw him compete with Albon immediately. 

He scored points in just his second F1 race, leading to speculation linking him with a move to Red Bull or Alpine. However, the Argentine suddenly became crash happy.

He crashed heavily in São Paulo – as did Albon – and in Las Vegas, quickly highlighting his inexperience. In the end, Albon out-qualified Colapinto 6-2, but the pair drew 4-4 across their eight races as team-mates.

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The big signing for 2025

Despite 17 heavy crashes in a single season and an estimated repair bill of $20 million, Williams actually head into 2025 on a positive note. 

Vowles has understood the value of having two experienced, but equally fast drivers, something it has not had in several seasons. 

Whilst Albon remains with the team, he will be partnered by Carlos Sainz, who is making the switch from Ferrari after being replaced by Lewis Hamilton. 

The strength of this driver signing cannot be appreciated enough, with the British outfit suddenly going into next year with one of the strongest driver pairings in F1. 

It is arguably one of the team's strongest in its modern history, but that will bring with it pressure for a competitive package to be delivered to Albon and Sainz. 

Williams' eyes are not necessarily on 2025, with Vowles focusing more on building for the future towards the new power unit regulations in 2026. 

Come that year, Williams could propel up the pecking order; however, a solid campaign next year will still be necessary to show genuine progression. 

The partnership of Albon and Sainz is fascinating and is, of course, a full former Red Bull juniors line-up. 

Vowles will need to manage both drivers carefully, who will both be eager to lead the outfit.