威廉斯推出新的外观和赞助商for FW45 as 2023 car is launched

Williams have taken the covers off the colours of their 2023 challenger, with the FW45 becoming the third Formula 1 car to be shown this year.

The FW45 was unveiled at the team’s ‘season launch’ event on Monday, hosted by popular Formula 1 presenter Will Buxton as he was joined on stage by Alex Albon and new Williams driver, Logan Sargeant.

The livery itself confirmed Williams’ long-rumoured new partnership with Gulf Oil, with its logos featuring on the FW45’s colour scheme – which features the dark blue and black colours of last year, with the change of a matte finish being added to the car.

The design features flourishes of lighter blue with tinges of orange to represent Gulf and fellow sponsors Duracell, with the team set to run the FW45 for the first time in pre-season testing in Bahrain from 23-25 February.

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Williams fell back to the bottom of the Constructors’ Championship last season as they struggled with weight issues on the FW44, to a degree which saw them strip much of the paint off the livery to save crucial grams where they could, with bare carbon fibre interspersed with their traditional red and blue colour scheme.

Team principal Jost Capito abruptly departed after the season finished, but Williams were able to appoint Mercedes strategy director James Vowles to the post in his place, as he prepares to take on his first season as a team boss in Formula 1.

Albon heads into his second season with the team after an impressive comeback year in 2022, following his year on the sidelines as Red Bull reserve, while Formula 2 graduate Sargeant steps up for his rookie season and will become F1’s first American driver since Alexander Rossi in 2015.