Williams to Skip FW49, Name 2027 F1 Car FW50 for 50th Anniversary

Williams is set to break its sequential naming tradition for the second time, planning to name its 2027 Formula 1 car the FW50 instead of the FW49 to celebrate the team's 50th anniversary. The move mirrors a similar jump made for its 40th anniversary in 2017 and is a symbolic nod to the team's heritage under its new ownership.

Why it matters:

In an era of significant change for Williams under Dorilton Capital, maintaining a tangible link to its legendary past is a powerful statement. The FW chassis designation, honoring founder Frank Williams, was declared untouchable upon the 2020 takeover. This deliberate numbering shift reinforces that commitment to heritage while creating a marketing-friendly milestone for the team's golden anniversary year.

The Details:

• The team will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Williams Grand Prix Engineering's debut at the 1977 Spanish Grand Prix next year. Skipping the FW49 for the FW50 creates a clean, symmetrical tribute.
• This is not without precedent. In 2017, for its 40th anniversary, Williams named its car the FW40, skipping the FW39.
• That 2017 jump should have kept the sequence aligned, but external factors intervened. The COVID-19 pandemic led to cost-saving rules for the 2021 season, allowing teams to carry over chassis.
  • As a result, Williams raced an updated version of its 2020 car, named the FW43B, delaying the introduction of the FW44 by a year and putting the numbering sequence out of sync with the anniversary.
• The tradition of racing developed chassis across seasons is deeply embedded in Williams history. The most famous example is the dominant FW14B, which won the 1992 world championship as an evolution of the previous year's title-contending FW14.

What's next:

The FW50 will become a centerpiece of Williams's 2027 season, symbolizing five decades in the sport. While the name is a look back, the car itself will be a critical part of the team's ongoing technical rebuild under James Vowles, aiming to pair celebrated history with a more competitive future. The move ensures the team enters its landmark season with a chassis number that perfectly matches its anniversary, correcting the drift caused by the pandemic-era regulations.