Croft names team boss of the year: 'Will go to a top team within 4 years'

F1 News

Croft names James Vowles team boss of the year
29 December 2023 at 18:00

For years James Vowles was director of motorsport strategy at Mercedes, but in 2023 he made a move to Williams, to serve as team boss. The team has made a huge step towards midfield under the Brit. David Croft, Formula 1 commentator on behalf of Sky Sports, said in the channel's podcast that he believes Vowles is even the team boss of the year.

Frank and Claire Williams sold the team to US investment firm Dorilton Capital during the 2020 Formula 1 season. In the middle of the year, Jost Capito was appointed the new team boss. However, the German left the team after a year and a half, and so Vowles was given the chance to prove himself as team boss. It is now known that this decision has worked out well for the time being. Williams still finished last among constructors in 2022, but in 2023 the team can find themselves in seventh place in the teams' championship.

Croft names team boss of the year

Croft is impressed by what the team boss has accomplished in 2023: "He is my team boss of the year, without a doubt. If you look at how little time he had before he took the role, you're talking three months maximum. That's not a lot of time to put in a plan where you hit the ground running and you get instant results."

The future best F1 team boss?

The Sky Sports commentator, therefore, thinks a great future awaits the Williams team boss: "I think he will go on to be one of the top team principals at a top team in three or four years. He understands marketing, he's an engineer by trade, he understands strategies, he understands drivers, and he's beginning to understand the politics. James Vowles could be the big team boss of the future, and I hope he will be because he deserves it."