After switching jobs from the upper echelons of the F1 grid to the very opposite side of the rung James Vowles has admitted that he ‘sacrificed‘ the comforts of a team like the Mercedes to join Williams despite becoming team principal of the latter. However, the Briton has also committed himself to steer the team back to the top of F1, with the passage of time.
While talking about ditching the comforts of Mercedes and an exceptional talent pool that won eight consecutive titles, Vowles explained the reasons for his departure to Williams. He said as per Speedcafe,
“The reason why I did is I believe in the vision that we have going forward.”
Vowles did qualify that statement by suggesting that work still needs to be done, and no one should expect the iconic British team to be an overnight ‘rags to riches’ story.
I’m really impressed with the impact that James Vowles has had at @WilliamsRacing.
He’s really stepped up as a TP and is showing great leadership at that team. It’s really showing in terms of their progress. #F1 https://t.co/alSNtvvugn
— Rob Myers (@RobLMyers) January 20, 2024
After a recent inflow of investment, some where around the ballpark of $20,000,000 one would expect Vowles to be ecstatic. But while he is grateful and optimistic, he knows that the fiscal demands of modern Grand Prix racing mean that they are still miles behind.
According to him, the biggest capital expenditure the team is going to incur is in terms of setting up some crucial facilities. This may be a work to be done over the course of the next few seasons. Be that as it may, ever since the arrival of Vowles last year, the team have already shown some tremendous signs of progress.
How James Vowles elevated Williams in 2023
The start to the 2023 season was a tough and bleak affair for the Grove-based team. In the first five races of the season, the team could only muster up a solitary point, thanks to Alex Albon‘s drive at the season opener in Bahrain.
Since then, however, the team started working on developing the FW45 and it worked wonders. Every upgrade package complemented the low-drag profile of the car, and the Williams was often a rocket-ship in the straight line.
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As a result, under Vowles’ stewardship, the team scored a handy 28 points to finish P7 in the Constructors’ championship. It was their best finish yet, since the 2017 season. Naturally, any way they look at it, from the brink of bankruptcy to a handsome Constructors’ payout, the team has already started turning their fortunes around.
The team looks really strong with Vowles on the pitwall and Alex Albon behind the wheel. Additionally, they would also want Albon’s teammate Logan Sargeant to fire on all cylinders after what was a difficult rookie season for the American.
