When aerodynamics genius Adrian Newey announced his departure from Red Bull earlier this year, several teams on the grid scrambled to secure his services. Williams, one of his former teams, was heavily linked to him. However, the move didn’t materialize — not due to financial reasons, as many had speculated.
In an interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Team Principal James Vowles said, “It has nothing to do with the money, even though in the end there was a bidding competition that we no longer wanted to participate in.”
Williams did not pursue Newey due to their lack of preparedness. As one of the biggest names in F1, Newey needed more than just theoretical ideas for success; he required something tangible to pique his interest — something Aston Martin successfully provided.
AUTO MOTOR UND SPORT – Q: Williams was among the teams that courted Adrian Newey but dropped out of the race early. Why?
James Vowles: It has nothing to do with the money, even though in the end there was a bidding competition that we no longer wanted to participate in.
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— Junaid #JB17 (@JunaidSamodien_) October 14, 2024
Several top teams on the grid, including Ferrari and Mercedes, reportedly expressed interest in Newey and were prepared to go all out. However, no one was as determined as Aston Martin boss Lawrence Stroll, who not only offered him a $200 million contract but also shares in the team.
It wasn’t just the money that attracted Newey; it was the ambition, belief, and years of investment Stroll had made in Aston Martin that ultimately led the 65-year-old to choose the Silverstone-based outfit.
Williams is not quite where Aston Martin is, and Vowles knows that. But that doesn’t mean he is a man without a plan.
Williams significantly strengthened its technical staff
Williams has made significant moves to strengthen its technical department by hiring several senior engineers from rival F1 teams. Leading this group of new recruits is former Alpine technical director Matt Harman, who has assumed the role of design director at Williams.
Plus, Williams brought in four other top engineers. These include Fabrice Moncade, formerly Ferrari’s head of performance analytics, Juan Molina, the former principal aerodynamicist at Haas, Steve Winstanley, who served as Red Bull’s chief designer for composites and structures; and Richard Frith, previously the head of performance at Alpine.
And of course, one of the biggest hires for Williams is the departing Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, who has signed a multi-year deal with the team strengthening their driver lineup alongside Alex Albon.
All these hires have positioned Williams well for the big regulation change that will arrive in 2026.
