F1 News
Vowles suffers from disadvantages of own success at Mercedes
- Toby McLuskie
James Vowles, current Williams team boss, is experiencing the disadvantages of the success of his former employer, Mercedes, among others, at the British racing stable. It is harder for the smaller teams to secure big talents, he told Autosport.com.
Vowles is known to the general public as the former Mercedes strategist. Valtteri Bottas may still regularly recall the words "Valtteri, it's James." But in the background, the Briton was also responsible for Mercedes' junior programme. Employed by the German racing stable, Vowles took many a racing talent under his wing.
Talents go to big teams
As team boss of Williams, the former Brawn man experiences the disadvantages of the strong Mercedes. The big teams are more attractive for talents to join. "The problem we have is that I think all the future champion drivers have been near enough signed up," states Vowles. As an example, he cites the talented Italian Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who was offered a contract by Vowles at Mercedes as early as the age of 12. "You have to go younger than Antonelli now, so now we have a problem, the gap has been created."
Currently, Williams has several talents under contract, including Luke Browning, Franco Colapinto, Zak O'Sullivan, Oliver Gray and Jamie Chadwick, but "it's early days," the 43-year-old Vowles states honestly. Nevertheless, the Brit is confident he can put together a successful programme at his new employer.