LONG READ: Have Williams found a leader in James Vowles who can bring them back to their glory days?
What do you think of Williams Racing? Motorsport titan and sleeping giant of Formula 1; or simply a team tooling around at the back of the field to make up the numbers? Where you stand on that most likely has a lot to do with how long you’ve been following the sport.
15:10 Sat, 18 Mar 2023.
Matt Youson
Special Contributor
Formula One - Official Site

Anybody who watched F1 in the 1980s and 1990s struggles to view Williams Racing as anything other than a colossus; those of a more recent vintage see a perennial backmarker struggling with the realities of competing against better-funded, better-resourced, perhaps better-motivated rivals.

It’s a shocking state of affairs for a team with 114 victories, 313 podiums and nine FIA Formula 1 World Constructors’ titles – second only to Ferrari in that particular all-time list – but that’s the situation inherited by freshly-minted Team Principal James Vowles, when he walked into his new job a little less than a month ago.

Vowles, formerly motorsport strategy director and chief strategist for the Mercedes team, was recruited after Jost Capito announced his departure in December. At a superficial level, Vowles looks like an odd choice for Team Principal because his route to the big chair is unconventional. Racing drivers and senior engineers become team principals, sometimes former mechanics, marketeers, the odd billionaire – but not strategists, even those that started out as engineers.

‘Shocking state of affairs’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...HynCxw0Of.html


Vowles: Williams 'spark' reveals light at the end of tunnel
Friday 24 March 2023 11:48
Ewan Gale
GPFans

Whilst the ultimate aim is to ensure Williams returns to the top of F1's ladder having gone over a decade without a victory, Vowles in enthused by the morale within the workforce.

"There's a spark and it's fascinating to see," said Vowles. "There are shoulders lifted, there are heads held high now, there is really direction that they can see where we're going and how we're moving forward.”

"It’s a team clearly that has had a tremendously difficult winter, and difficult few years even prior to that. But they can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel and direction we're going in."

‘Light at the end of tunnel’;

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10...end-of-tunnel/


James Vowles explains the key difference between Williams and Mercedes
23 Mar 2023 7:00 PM
Oliver Harden
PlanetF1.com

James Vowles has revealed the key difference between teams at the front and the back of the Formula 1 grid, explaining that the quality of the facilities separates the likes of Williams from title-winning outfits like Mercedes.

Appearing on the Vowles Verdict Q&A on Williams’ official website, he said: “First and foremost, Williams is a large site. “It actually mirrors that of Mercedes in many ways in terms of size, but very clearly some of the facilities are not necessarily at the same level as they were in Mercedes.”

“It hasn’t had the same joyous journey financially and as a result is lacking in certain parts, which shouldn’t be a surprise. It’s normal when you consider it from the outside, but when you really come into the depths of it you can see why the team has had the struggles it’s had across the years.”

‘The key difference’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/james-...iams-mercedes/


Williams 'reviewing' 2026 F1 engine deals but two options ruled out
24 March 2023

Inside Racing

Williams 'reviewing' 2026 F1 engine deals but two options ruled out. Williams chief James Vowles is "reviewing" possible engine suppliers for 2026, though two options appear to be ruled out.

Williams isn't short of choices when it comes to 2026 with Audi and Red Bull-Ford among the options available. Previous speculation of a tie-up with Porsche is now gone after it was reported the German manufacturer had dropped its interest in the 2026 regulations.

Asked about a possible reunion though, Vowles seems unconvinced. “It’d be hard for me to comment because I’m not sure what [Honda] have facilities-wise,” he said via The Race. “But I think they’re a little bit further away from where they would need to be to be a serious contender.”

‘Two options ruled out’;

https://www.insideracing.com/formula...ions-ruled-out


Albon hails Vowles’ early impact at Williams F1
24th March 2023, 10:09
by Fergal Walsh
Motorsport Week

Alexander Albon has commended the job that James Vowles has done in his first month as Williams’ Team Principal. “James has definitely got the knowledge from Mercedes,”he said. “He’s obviously a smart guy we need right now.”

“It’s something where of course I think we do a lot of things good and there’s obviously other areas we can do differently, long term, short term, medium term. There’s all aspects to look at so I would say he’s only been here for a short while but listening to what he has to say he’s bringing a lot to the table.”

“Hopefully that will keep on happening and I would say a lot of it is more long term than short term but I’m excited to see the progress.”

‘Early impact’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2023/...t-williams-f1/


Formula 1: Can Williams maintain their momentum?
10:34 Mon, 20 Mar 2023.
by Siddharth Bharani-Dharan
Beyond the Flag (Weblog)

It is quite clear that Williams are one of the most improved teams in Formula 1 this season, but the question is whether they can maintain that momentum. Judging from the early signs, it is a genuine possibility that Williams can make massive strides this season.

Their car has a good pace and reliability does not seem to be too much of an issue for them. They just have to maintain good awareness throughout the whole weekend and know who their battles are with on the grid.

Williams will definitely look to stay in that midfield battle this season, potentially being in the mix for finishing sixth in the constructor standings. Confidence will play a key role in their endeavors, as they have all the tools necessary in order to succeed.

‘Maintain their momentum?’;

https://beyondtheflag.com/2023/03/20...tain-momentum/


‘Missed opportunity’ now something Williams can’t afford
Mar 22 2023
By Josh Suttill and Scott Mitchell-Malm
The Race

Williams knows it “missed a good opportunity” in the second 2023 Formula 1 weekend even though the results on paper appear to show a downturn in form after the team’s bright start. But Williams and its drivers felt far more was possible and there wasn’t some downturn in pace between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

Williams appears to be at the back of that very tight midfield – bottom of the supertimes in both weekends so far – but it’s comfortably close enough to challenge the midfield pack when it executes a weekend well and the cards fall its way as it did in Bahrain.

‘Missed opportunity’;

https://the-race.com/formula-1/misse...s-cant-afford/