The Williams Formula 1 team will mark its 50th anniversary in 2027 by skipping a chassis designation and launching a year-long calendar of heritage events. Set to become only the third team in the sport to reach 50 continuous years in competition behind Ferrari and McLaren, the squad is shaking up its traditional naming conventions to honor its founding history.
According to official team announcements, the 2027 challenger will be designated the FW50. The team is bypassing the FW49 name entirely to mark 50 years since the F1 team’s first race in 1977, when it ran as Williams Grand Prix Engineering.
W50 Live Exhibition Launches In Waterloo
The center point of the anniversary calendar is an interactive public exhibition titled ‘W50 Live’ running from February 11 to 28, 2027. Located at 26 Leake Street in central London just off Waterloo’s railway graffiti tunnel, the ticketed experience will display six significant cars from the team’s history alongside a showcar featuring the 2027 livery.
W50 Live: Williams, 50 Years of F1 Racing is an immersive walkthrough of five decades at the pinnacle of motorsport, celebrating the team’s 50th anniversary.Taking place at 26 Leake Street, London, from 11–28 February 2027, the experience will bring together… pic.twitter.com/OxV8EGOpd2
The display highlights machines tied to the outfit’s history. Featured chassis include the FW06—the first car produced by Williams Grand Prix Engineering—alongside world championship-winning cars like Nelson Piquet’s 1987 FW11B, Nigel Mansell’s 1992 FW14B, and Jacques Villeneuve’s 1997 FW19.
Speed Records And Silverstone Fan Takeovers
Williams is also dedicating exhibit space to historical milestones set by later iterations of its cars. The lineup includes the 2003 FW25, which set the record for the fastest average speed in F1 history through Juan Pablo Montoya, which stood for 17 years, and the 2016 FW38, which still holds the record for the highest speed ever reached by an F1 car at 378km/h, set by Valtteri Bottas.
In addition to the London exhibit, the team is giving fans the opportunity to vote on the car livery for its home race at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. The selection covers a full team branding takeover, including driver racesuits for Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, team garage kits, and the race cars themselves. Silverstone holds deep historical significance for the team, having hosted its first F1 victory with Clay Regazzoni in 1979 and its 100th race win with Jacques Villeneuve in 1997.
Ticket Access And Merchandise Rollout Schedule
The team is releasing limited-edition merchandise alongside the celebrations, including a W50 Monopoly set scheduled to go on sale before Christmas. Pre-sale tickets for the ‘W50 Live’ exhibition open to members of the Williams W Club on October 26, before a general ticket sale opens on October 29 through the official team website.
“It is incredible to think that over 100 F1 teams have come and gone since Frank Williams built this team from next to nothing with a determination to race and win against motorsport’s powerhouses,” Williams Team Principal James Vowles said. “That independence, passion and relentless will to win remain in our DNA as we enter our 50th year.”
Questions Surrounding Additional 2027 Events
While Williams has outlined its early 2027 showcase in London and the fan-voted Silverstone livery, the team has not yet disclosed the full scope or specific dates for the remainder of its announced year-long celebrations. Further heritage moments and artifact drops are expected to be revealed over the coming months.