In recent times, Williams Racing has not just invested in top engineering talent to bolster its technical department, but it now also has a driver lineup that could propel it toward the front of the field. When recently asked if he thought Carlos Sainz was championship material, team boss James Vowles said that not only the Spaniard but also Alex Albon.
However, he remained pragmatic in his approach and remarked that you can’t win championships in Formula 1 only with quick drivers. According to Vowles, the team also has to be prepared to be able to fight for the championship and maintain a united front instead of in-fighting. And Vowles believes that his 2025 driver lineup is capable of forming that united front and helping them move forward.
In a recent appearance on the ‘Nailing The Apex’ podcast, he said, “Yes, I see Carlos and Alex as having the ability to fight for World Championships… So winning a world championship is first and foremost about making sure that you have a team working together pointing the right way. You’re not fighting each other. You’re fighting the world outside of the building.” He further added,
“There’s no politics between them. They both want the team to be successful which means they’ll be pushing the team forward rather than fighting against each other and that’s a very different dynamic.”
James Vowles: “Carlos can make a difference with any car. That’s why we brought him in. He is an asset to any team. He will take us forward because he has put his heart and soul into the team. Because he will help improve the starts, the setup, the work with the tires, the… pic.twitter.com/vUfdqRe7X2
— yoyo (@williamssainz) October 14, 2024
Vowles believes that this dynamic between Sainz and Albon will allow Williams to create a platform that the two drivers can use to eventually go on and fight for championships.
Vowles claims that a new Williams is on the rise
As of now, Williams is not where it would ideally want to be. They are one of the backmarker teams and have been in that position for years now. However, Vowles has hinted that the Williams of today is different from what it used to be not so long ago (before he took charge). He highlighted that teaming up two championship-caliber drivers is a statement of intent from Williams.
“The reason for really drawing a line underneath it and showing a lineup of the quality that we have is because I want the world to recognize and realize this is a different Williams. This is a Williams that is serious about fighting its way to the top,” he added.
️James Vowles on signing Carlos:
“We had to fight against fierce competition, near enough the whole pit lane wanted to sign him, and it’s therefore a pleasure.”
“I can’t express how thankful I am that he’s here with us as a result of it.”
— WIO (@sainznificant) July 29, 2024
And this attitude of Vowles might have been one of the biggest reasons why Sainz was convinced that this was the right project for him compared to a team like Sauber/Audi who were after his signature long before Williams came into the picture.
