The special livery unveiled by Williams for the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid sparked an unexpected controversy due to the date of this day, September 11: provocation or false accusation?
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Journalist Will Buxton considered that its use on the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks was clumsy due to a very indirect historical link with the Bin Laden family.
An interpretation widely criticized on social media and which should not lead to any modification of the car.
The 1981 season, unrelated to Bin Laden
Williams chose to celebrate the return of Formula 1 to Madrid with a design inspired by that of its 1981 FW07C, the year of the last race held in the Spanish capital before the arrival of the Madring.
At the time, Williams was notably supported by the airline Saudi Arabian Airlines, whose partnership under the Saudia brand had influenced the car’s colors. The Bin Laden family, a major Saudi business family, had previously directly sponsored Williams (photo above) and helped establish several team partnerships in the Middle East, including the one with Saudia.
The 2026 livery, created with the current main partner Atlassian, incorporates some graphic elements from that era but does not include the name Bin Laden nor the Saudia brand. Yet it is this historical context that led Will Buxton to question Williams’ choice.
Buxton finds the timing clumsy
The former F1 journalist, who now commentates IndyCar, pointed out that the Grand Prix takes place at the time of the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks: “I love historic liveries. I’m just not convinced the timing is wise,” he explained on the podcast Up to Speed.
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Buxton recalled that in the late 1970s, Williams was sponsored by the Bin Laden family, from which Osama bin Laden came. He thus believes that the historic colors used by Williams can indirectly be associated with this family and, by extension, with the attacks: “This color combination has an association with the family that ultimately, through Osama bin Laden, was responsible for 9/11.”
Buxton believes the commemorative context should have led Williams to choose another weekend: “Any other weekend, you might say: ‘That’s pretty cool.’ But this weekend, I think a think tank really didn’t do its job. People will make the connection and establish this association.”
An association deemed very excessive
His statements quickly sparked many criticisms on social media, where several users considered the connection particularly far-fetched.
An American user notably reacted: “As an American, I think Will went way too far with this one. Even we don’t go that far in being offended about 9/11.”
Several observers especially reminded that the current design does not include any reference to the former sponsors concerned, making the association particularly difficult to establish without precise knowledge of Williams’ commercial history in the late 1970s.
Buxton’s comments were also met with much skepticism in the paddock. The FIA and FOM reportedly also did not appreciate this interpretation. Williams itself is not expected to respond publicly to the controversy. The team does not plan any modification of its special livery, designed several months ago to pay tribute to its history and its appearance at the 1981 Spanish Grand Prix.
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