F1 News
Vowles hails some "brilliant news" for Williams thanks to Sainz's signing
James Vowles has said that his Williams team has some "brilliant news" heading its way. The 2024 year was a hugely difficult one for the British team, with many crashes in the final few races of the season, meaning they might likely be forced to spend over the budget cap to repair the stricken cars. However, there is hope that the signing of Carlos Sainz will bring not just improved results, but also improved sponsors too.
To start the 2024 season, Williams had the driver lineup of Alexander Albon and LoganSargear. However, the latter was relieved of his role in the middle of the season, with multiple crashes and a lack of improvement forcing Vowles' hand. He was replaced by Franco Colapinto, and the Argentine took to the premier class of motorsport very well. However, all three drivers fell foul of multiple crashes, causing a real headache for their team principal, along with lots of money spent on repairs.
It has been 27 years since the great Williams team were title winners in F1, winning both the drivers' and the constructors' championship during the 19997 season. Since then, they have yet to taste glory, with declining pace and performances since then resigning them to near the back of the grid. Vowles hopes he is the one who can bring the good times back to the British team, and he believes there is a lot to like about the upcoming season next year.
"Incredibly ambitious" Vowles excited for 2025
Before the end of the 2024 season, Vowles sealed the signing of former Ferrari driver Sainz for the 2025 season, a significant move for the team boss and his team. And now, with the Spaniard joining, it has also brought in some huge sponsors that could really aid Williams, including the huge banking giant Santander: "Commercial is a completely different landscape to where we were two years ago. And, by the way, that's still evolving at a good rate of change. There's some brilliant news over the next six months I'm sure that will continue on," the team boss said.
"What I really wanted to achieve is get the right people into the organisation, change the culture, change the technology, change the infrastructure, change the commercial and how we operate. So basically people, culture, technology, infrastructure. That is all happening - a little bit slower than I'd like, but that's just because I'm incredibly ambitious and I'd like more every single day. But it's moving and that's the real way to adjudicate me."
There will be far more pressure on Williams than there has been in recent years due to the Sainz signing, showing that they could be regarded as one of the dark horses for next season. Team boss Vowles wants to make sure this shift in Williams is also achieved: "It's not by a single race or a result in these next few years. It's, 'Are we stepping forward?' If I asked anyone, can you see a significant change in what we're doing? And if you say yes to it, then we're doing the right thing."