Williams is bringing a piece of its Formula One history back to Spain this weekend, paying tribute to its 1981 championship-winning era with a special livery for the Spanish Grand Prix.
The design, created for the team’s cars at the Madrid race, draws inspiration from the Williams FW07C that competed during the 1981 Formula One season. Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon will race with the special colours as Williams returns to the Spanish capital for the first Formula One event at the new Madring circuit.
The livery features a combination of white, blue and green, reflecting the appearance of the historic Williams car while incorporating the modern identity of the team.
For Williams, the tribute is closely linked to the team’s long association with Spain and its Formula One history at the Circuito de Jarama, which hosted the Spanish Grand Prix in 1981.
Remembering a championship season
The 1981 season was an important milestone for Williams as the team secured its first Constructors’ Championship.
Alan Jones and Carlos Reutemann were the team’s leading drivers that year, competing with the FW07C during a closely fought season. Williams finished at the top of the Constructors’ standings, establishing itself as a major force in Formula One.
The Spanish Grand Prix of that season was held at Jarama, north of Madrid. Although Gilles Villeneuve won that race for Ferrari, the event remains part of the wider history surrounding Williams’ championship campaign.
More than four decades later, the team is using that period as inspiration for its Madrid appearance.
Rather than simply reproducing the old design, Williams has adapted its historic colours for its current Formula One machinery. The result is intended to connect the team’s past achievements with its present-day identity.
Sainz set for a special home race
The weekend is particularly significant for Sainz, who was born in Madrid.
The Williams driver has competed in several Spanish Grands Prix during his Formula One career, but racing in the Spanish capital gives him a different kind of home advantage. Thousands of fans are expected to attend the new Madrid venue, giving Sainz an opportunity to compete in front of supporters from his home city.
His connection with Madrid also makes him a natural part of Williams’ celebration of the team’s history in the region.
Sainz joined Williams for the 2025 Formula One season after previously racing for Ferrari, and his move has given the British team a high-profile Spanish driver for its return to Madrid.
The special livery adds another layer to what is already expected to be one of the most closely followed weekends of Sainz’s season.
A new setting for Formula One
The Madrid race also marks a new chapter for the Spanish Grand Prix.
The new Madring circuit features 22 corners and has been designed to bring Formula One racing into the Spanish capital. Its arrival creates a fresh setting for the championship while also reviving Madrid’s connection with the sport.
That makes Williams’ decision to honour its 1981 history particularly fitting.
The team is effectively linking two eras of Formula One in Spain its championship campaign at Jarama more than 40 years ago and its current return to Madrid.
For fans, the special livery provides a visual reminder of how much the sport and Williams have changed since the early 1980s.
Williams looking for a stronger result
The historical celebration comes at a challenging point in Williams’ 2026 campaign.
The team has collected 11 points so far and sits ninth in the Constructors’ Championship. Its latest points came at the Monaco Grand Prix, where Albon finished eighth.
Williams will now be hoping that its return to Madrid produces a stronger weekend on track.
The team has spent considerable effort rebuilding its competitiveness in recent seasons, and the Spanish Grand Prix provides another opportunity to measure its progress against the rest of the grid.
For Sainz and Albon, the focus will ultimately remain on performance once the racing begins. The historic colours may attract attention away from the circuit, but the team will be looking for points when the chequered flag falls.
Williams’ Madrid appearance therefore carries two stories at once: a celebration of the championship success that helped shape the team’s reputation and an opportunity to continue building its future.
As the cars take to the Madring circuit, the FW07C-inspired design will serve as a reminder of the Williams team that once conquered Formula One while its current drivers attempt to write the next chapter.
