Williams is seeking answers as to why its own pre-event scans of its updated Formula 1 car suggested the revised underbody was compliant with regulations.

Alex Albon was disqualified from eighth place on the grid at the Dutch Grand Prix after an area of ​​his underbody – presumably in front of the rear tyres – was deemed too wide to meet volume regulations.

The FIA’s ruling on the underbody – which was announced during the technical inspection after qualifying – came as a shock to Williams, as the company had previously checked the dimensions of its upgraded car several times and was convinced that it fully complied with the limits.

Although the team’s own measurements showed that the new floor complied with the rules, the FIA’s own measurements were the only thing that mattered – and the governing body’s calibrated scanner concluded that the new floor did not comply with the rules.

In a video post on Sunday morning, Williams team boss James Vowles explained how much the FIA’s results had surprised his team.

“It’s not the first time we’ve been scanned,” Vowles explained. “We obviously follow and have followed all of these procedures since they were introduced several years ago and so far no violations have been detected.”

James Vowles, team principal of Williams Racing, talks to his teammates at the pit wall

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

“Today we use scanning techniques instead of physical measurement methods because you have to keep an eye on not just one point, but the heights and widths of some quite complex shapes.

“Before we came here, we scanned the floor and the car several times. It happened in isolation with the floor at the factory. It happened in the factory with the car. It happened here on Thursday too.

“We have presented all these results to the FIA, which show that our lower limit complies with the legal requirements. But what counts is the FIA’s decision, their measurements and their systems, and we fully accept that.”

Vowles said there was no immediate answer as to why there was a discrepancy between his figures and those of the FIA, but that adjusting the lower limit to make it completely legal was not a complicated matter and the team was already in the process of doing so.

“We now need to understand how we could have been wrong in our measurements and what we need to change in our processes,” he said.

“From now on, there is only one area of ​​the car where we have not complied with the regulations, and that is easily remedied. But regardless of that, the rule is the rule, and it is written in black and white.”

Alex Albon, Williams FW46

Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images

Vowles said the team takes full responsibility for the incident but remains confident in the car’s potential.

“We cannot spend hours developing an update kit and we cannot ask our drivers to risk everything to secure points positions, only to have it all ruined by not respecting every single limit of the regulation,” he added.

“There is no one else who is really responsible for this except ourselves. This is on our shoulders. No one else bears any responsibility. We need to address this immediately and get it under control.

“We still have this race weekend ahead of us and I believe our car is strong enough to fight through the field. I am excited about the prospects for today because the car is still fast and we have a chance in the race and beyond.

“Then we still have nine races ahead of us in which we have to deliver perfect performances again and again in order to score points and fight our way forward in the championship.

“That’s not the standard we’re supposed to be following this weekend, but let’s make a process change now to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”