Williams F1 boss issues statement over 'illegal' car after FIA disqualification

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Williams F1 boss issues statement over 'illegal' car after FIA disqualification

Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon were both disqualified from qualifying at the Singapore GP

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Saturday 11 October 2025 10:57

Williams F1 team principal James Vowles has spoken out about his team's double driver disqualification at last weekend's Singapore Grand Prix.

Following a Q2 exit for both Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon in Saturday's qualifying, the FIA announced that the stewards had found the rear wing on both Williams cars to be 'noncompliant with the technical regulations', resulting in both drivers being disqualified from the session.

As a result, Sainz had to start from the back of the grid and Albon was forced to begin the race from the pit lane after Williams opted to alter the suspension setup on his car under parc ferme conditions.

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After Sunday's 62-lap grand prix, Albon crossed the line in P14, but his Spanish team-mate managed the impressive feat of making up eight places during the race, bringing home a single point thanks to his 10th-place finish.

Though Sainz's recovery may have embellished what was a difficult weekend for the Grove-based outfit, Vowles has now admitted Williams' mistakes, revealing exactly how their cars failed the FIA checks.

Vowles admits Williams F1 failings after Singapore GP disaster

Speaking in the latest episode of 'The Vowles Verdict' on the Williams YouTube channel, the team boss said: “In terms of what happened, we were legal across pretty much most of the span of the wing. What we do is open up, turn on the car engine, open up the DRS and use a tool that we have and the FIA have as well in order to test along the length of that and it passed pretty much in most locations apart from at the very edge of the wing. But irrespective that's still illegal to the regulations."

"When we actually dig down underneath all of that, we can actually track it down to a number of systems and processes that simply weren't in place, weren't up to date, and even the tool that we had didn't properly mirror the tool that the FIA had as well, which could have allowed for discrepancy.

“Now, this is just one of a thousand tests that can be carried out by the FIA. But irrespective, all of them are as important as each other, and it's our duty and responsibility to make sure we're legal to it.”

The 46-year-old went on to describe Williams' weekend at Marina Bay as a missed opportunity, adding that their double disqualification was, “a painful reminder that we have to get absolutely everything right every weekend in order to have success.”

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F1 FIA Williams James Vowles