Williams has become the latest Formula 1 team to present its new look for the 2022 season.
The team revealed a revised, deep blue livery for its new car.Williams head into the new season with a significant change in their driver line-up. George Russell, who scored the team’s best result for years last season with second place in the rain-hit Belgian Grand Prix, has left for Mercedes. His place has been taken by Alexander Albon, while Nicholas Latifi begins his third year at the team.
The team will continue to use Mercedes power units in 2022. And, for the first time, it has agreed a deal to run their gearboxes as well.
Williams CEO Jost Capito says the team’s revised livery represents a “transition to the future” for the team.
“The new visual identity of the 2022 car perfectly encapsulates these characteristics that the staff, drivers and fans have demonstrated time and time again,” Capito said.
“As we move into the new era of our sport, the FW44 highlights the transition to the future, as well as acknowledging the timeless qualities that make us who we are. Last season we were thrilled and proud to make such strong advancements as a team, with a number of well-earned points-scoring results in addition to a podium. Looking forward, we want to build on this success, and the FW44 perfectly embodies these ambitions to return to the front of the grid. I look forward to witnessing this progression with Nicholas and Alex at the helm.”
Pictures: 2022 Williams FW44
This article will be updated
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Qeki (@qeki)
15th February 2022, 13:11
I was maybe hoping for a bit of yellow
chrispr27 (@chrispr27)
15th February 2022, 13:12
Same here, bit underwhelmed by the colour scheme to be honest.
I hope it’s fast at least!
Jon1701
15th February 2022, 13:36
That was my first thought. Why all the retro videos?
Just splash a bit of yellow on it for crying out loud!!!
Car looks good though
GeeMac (@geemac)
15th February 2022, 13:13
Same, when the “driver livery reveal” video was released and Albon said it was “very Williams” I thought it would be a bit of a Williams 1984-1993 homage in predominantly blue, white and yellow.
That said, I like it. It’s not overly fussy and the shades work well together.
Töma
15th February 2022, 13:19
Yeah it’s very Williams ’cause it’s once again incredibly boring.
Qeki (@qeki)
15th February 2022, 13:15
But as the saying goes fast cars are normally beautiful. If this is the slowest then it looks like an end of era tyrrell, lotus, hrt. No sponsors. One color. But if it’s a regular point scorer or even a podium contender it is a simple working livery
davidhunter13 (@davidhunter13)
15th February 2022, 13:15
Well it’s better than the last livery which always looked to me a bit 90’s in a bad way. I do feel like it needs a white band through the middle or something.
OOliver
16th February 2022, 7:45
So true, actually looks like what was painted in the dark.
Pedro Andrade
15th February 2022, 13:16
Looks like 1994 Simtek.
GeeMac (@geemac)
15th February 2022, 13:21
Our memories of that car are very different….
Pedro Andrade
15th February 2022, 14:15
Black underside, dark bluish/purplish on top, red details? Is it just me?
By the way, 1994 Simtek was a beautiful car in my opinion, this one I don’t like as much.
petebaldwin (@)
15th February 2022, 15:40
Yeah I agree with you. When I read your comment I didn’t immediately agree but having checked out the 94 Simtek again, you’re right. It’s the same colours, an upside-down M (in the same colour), a bit of red on the intake….
Pedro Andrade
15th February 2022, 14:16
Simtek had a light blue M on the engine cover, this one has a light blue W.
I’m not dreaming this! :D
GeeMac (@geemac)
15th February 2022, 14:25
A bit…a little tiny bit.
GeeMac (@geemac)
16th February 2022, 3:44
Modena 291…that’s what it reminds me of.
Aggimania
15th February 2022, 13:42
It looks more like an Alpine 2021 or a Prost 2001.
amian
15th February 2022, 14:36
Also kinda of 1998-2001 Prost liveries.
Proesterchen (@proesterchen)
15th February 2022, 20:00
+1
Adam (@rocketpanda)
15th February 2022, 13:17
I like it, but then I’m fond of the colour blue.
Sam Crawford (@samxc)
15th February 2022, 13:22
Very basic looking, in livery, shape and sponsors.
Looks like it’s destined to run at the back of the grid to me
Mr_NovemberHotel (@nicharvs)
15th February 2022, 20:07
Basic like Ferrari? Red, black or white wings, and an Italian flag somewhere.
Andy (@andyfromsandy)
15th February 2022, 13:23
Powered by Duracell now that they have sold the battery division!
eljueta (@eljueta)
15th February 2022, 13:24
Looks like a default livery from the F1 game. If it goes fast it doesn’t matter.
hunocsi (@hunocsi)
15th February 2022, 13:26
Ideal color scheme to accommodate a BMW M division deal if they decided to come back to the sport.
I luv chicken
15th February 2022, 13:26
We need to get up a collection for all F1 teams, to install lighting at their launches. Did I miss some FIA directive that limits the amount of light? Was there a budget cap on light bulbs? Every single launch is a joke, with all of them pretending to hide their cars.
Wonderbadger (@wonderbadger)
15th February 2022, 13:36
I was thinking exactly the same, why do all the launches take place in a dark cave. It’s not as if they can’t hide any sensitive areas from view if they’re that worried about it.
grat
15th February 2022, 14:21
Doesn’t matter, that’s the Liberty Concept Mk 2. No DRS, 3 element front wing, hexagonal intake, no engine, no gearbox.
Asanator (@asanator)
15th February 2022, 13:27
Looks like a less inspiring version of last years Alpine livery
Jere (@jerejj)
15th February 2022, 13:33
I very much like the livery. Better than Williams cars have had for a while.
Jere (@jerejj)
15th February 2022, 13:40
I didn’t notice immediately but looking at the bottom left image & the one above, Williams has seemingly finally gone for a built-in steering wheel display. Better late than never.
Emma
15th February 2022, 17:17
Nice spot @Jerejj!
Kotrba
15th February 2022, 13:35
With the red bits it reminds me of 2001 Prost car. The lack of ads is another similarity between the two.
Imre (@f1mre)
15th February 2022, 13:57
My first thought was also the Prost car. I like it for some reason.
Emma
15th February 2022, 13:39
That launch was pretty brief. Blink and miss it brief. Looks rather nice to me at first glance but I’ll need to see the car on track.
grat
15th February 2022, 14:22
Won’t be that car on track.
Emma
15th February 2022, 17:18
I mean the livery not the bits and pieces.
Olivier
15th February 2022, 13:47
It is stylish, considerate, and sober. The 2022 Alpine would better be pink, otherwise it might get confusing…
Stephen H
15th February 2022, 13:50
The almost total lack of sponsorship, and the fact they’re not showing the real car is a cause for concern. I suppose the cost cap is a double edged sword. It will close the field up, but if you’re the one team operating significantly below the cost cap, which I’d guess Williams are, there’s a real danger you could be cast adrift at the back of the field. They also now don’t have a driver of Russell’s calibre to drag the car into some decent grid spots this year either, unless Albon has rediscovered himself during his season on the side-lines.
RandomMallard
15th February 2022, 13:55
I don’t mind it. Looks a little bland in places but I do like some of the colour scheme. Here’s to hoping they can be properly in the pack this year! Not necessarily for podiums and wins (though that would be great!), but at least scoring regular strong points would be a great result for them, considering they scored nothing just 2 years ago.
Neil (@neilosjames)
15th February 2022, 13:55
Massively impressed with that, and hugely optimistic. It’s like they made an exact copy of the 2022 Red Bull, every little detail looks the same, so I’m expecting wins and podiums, maybe even a title chall-
Cough.
Dex
15th February 2022, 14:07
You almost got me there.
Peter707
15th February 2022, 13:58
Alpine selling their unused paint? It will be hard to distinguish between the two.
Dex
15th February 2022, 14:06
Speaking of paint, to me it looks like a pack of cigarettes, batteries, condoms, paper tissues or toilet paper; things like that. They are so unwilling to put any effort into this… It’s a Williams, it should be recognizable from afar, and not as something that belongs in the supermarket, in hygiene department.
Clark (@clarkf)
15th February 2022, 14:14
They haven’t even bothered to render in the DRS wing but still issue a close up image of it why!?
Bradders (@bradders)
15th February 2022, 14:19
I see that the Williams Commercial Team have continued to work wonders, as they have done over the last few years…
Mark Thomson (@melthom)
15th February 2022, 14:28
Looks like a Prost
Mark Thomson (@melthom)
15th February 2022, 14:33
It looks like an optical illusion on most cars presented so far, as it looks like the front wheels are bigger.
Robbie (@robbie)
15th February 2022, 14:36
I think it looks great and I wish them all the best.
Emma
15th February 2022, 17:23
We’re in the same boat @Robbie. I find it quite strange that every single reveal has attracted some very negative comments about both the livery and the car. Is this purely down to diversity of opinions or are some people just naturally negative?
Robbie (@robbie)
15th February 2022, 17:29
Emma probably a combination of both:)
Hiland (@flyingferrarim)
15th February 2022, 15:01
Overall, I like it… but I agree with a few above. Wish there was a little bit of yellow and maybe a little bit of white as well.
SteveM
15th February 2022, 15:46
Looking at the pics of the actual Williams car running at Silverstone today, can already see so many differences to this car, mainly the nose and the airbox
Martin (@f1hornet)
15th February 2022, 16:41
Bit worried by the continuing lack of major sponsors.
mmertens (@mmertens)
15th February 2022, 19:42
Wow, for me it’s a beautiful livery! A modern Williams livery, loved the stylized W, and the little red touches. Really nicely done in my view. Elegant.
Coventry Climax
15th February 2022, 20:18
I love it! Look at that side view: The stylish multi-tone ‘W’ on the engine-cover, the light blue that dips down in the opposite direction of how the halo dips down. I’m not a massive fan of blue, but then I’m also not a fan of cars needing to be blatantly screaming red or yellow trying to convey the message that they’re fast. It’s never the color that makes a car fast, nor is it the christmas tree-ish plethora of stickers with all sorts of brand names; it’s the other bits that do.
We’ll see where Williams stand when the racing has really started, but I hope it’s a decently fast, well handling car.
swh1386 (@swh1386)
15th February 2022, 21:24
The best looking of the bunch so far. That’s nose reminds me a lot of the FW14. Pity they couldn’t find room for a Senna S on it though