Williams has unveiled the livery it will run on its new Formula 1 car ahead of the 2023 season.

Having risen to eighth in the constructors’ championship in 2021, Williams slipped to the back of the field last year as it failed to hit the ground running at the dawn of the new technical regulations.

But despite finishing well adrift of its rivals in 2022, Williams still clocked eight points over the season – often on high-speed circuits where its car proved most competitive.

The Grove-based outfit has ambitions to improve on last year’s showing and push further up the grid, as it undergoes changes off the track to its senior management and driver line-up.

In an online launch of its 2023 challenger, Williams revealed a matte blue colour scheme that includes a new major sponsor for this year.

Williams announced it had signed a multi-year deal with Gulf Oil in a new partnership, with the iconic brand joining after a previous affiliation with McLaren and will be featured on the car and race suits.

Alex Albon will spearhead the Williams driver line-up for a second straight season, with the Anglo-Thai driver impressing upon his return to a full-time seat last year.

Filling the second seat alongside Albon is rookie Logan Sargeant, who becomes the first American driver to race in F1 full-time since Scott Speed in 2007.

Sargeant – a member of the Williams driver academy – finished fourth in his debut season in Formula 2 last year, claiming two feature race victories.

Williams also welcomes a new team principal following Jost Capito’s shock departure last December, appointing former Mercedes chief strategist James Vowles in the role.

The FW45 will be handed its first on-track outing at the three-day pre-season test in Bahrain on February 23-25.