{"id":294907,"date":"2025-11-19T13:25:12","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T13:25:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/294907\/"},"modified":"2025-11-19T13:25:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T13:25:12","slug":"the-head-of-the-williams-formula-1-team-on-starting-over-to-stand-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/294907\/","title":{"rendered":"The Head of the Williams Formula 1 Team on Starting Over to Stand Out"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tFormula 1<\/a> fans who have just found the sport within the last several years, particularly since the debut of reality-show sensation Drive to Survive in 2019, may only know of the Williams team as fodder at the back of the field. Yet the longtime faithful of motorsport<\/a>\u2019s premiere race series hold the name in high regard, as well they should. Originally known as Williams Grand Prix Engineering, formed in 1978 by entrepreneurial racer Frank Williams (who was knighted in 1999), the UK-based squad\u2014now Atlassian Williams Racing\u2014is currently the third most successful team in Formula 1<\/a> history.<\/p>\n

\n\tBehind only Ferrari<\/a> and McLaren<\/a>, in first and second, respectively, Williams has nine World Constructors\u2019 Championship titles and seven Drivers\u2019 Championship titles, at least so far. Helping to write that story have been such iconic competitors as Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, and Ayrton Senna<\/a> among others.<\/p>\n

\n\tTaking the helm as team principal in 2023, James Vowles is determined to bring Williams back to its winning form, which, as he will admit, has required a complete overhaul. While his means to an end still unfolds, this season finds them in fifth place thanks to the efforts of drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz. With only three races left in the season, including this weekend\u2019s Las Vegas Grand Prix<\/a>, Vowles shares with Robb Report what\u2019s been working, how much still needs to be addressed, and why next year\u2019s car could hold the key.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"James<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tJames Vowles, team principal of Formula 1\u2019s Atlassian Williams Racing.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAtlassian Williams Racing<\/p>\n

\n\tHow does the Williams legacy inspire you, and how do you keep it from being a distraction?<\/p>\n

\n\tIt\u2019s part of the reason why I\u2019m here. This is the team that I remember when I was a kid; it\u2019s the team that I remember supporting, and so it resonates with me. It\u2019s about the era when I started watching the sport, and I liked the independence, I liked what it stood for. I liked that it was known as a strength of the sport. And so even today, many years later, it still has this recognition of being one of the absolute giants. It\u2019s just been sleeping for quite a few years.<\/p>\n

\n\tThat history was the part of the reason why I came here. I had the opportunity to join a few teams, all at the same time, or remain at Mercedes<\/a>, which is, in itself, an incredible environment. But what attracted me here is the legacy\u2014top three in the sport, full stop. The ability to be a part of that, and, more importantly\u2014with the right investment\u2014bring that back into winning ways, that literally only happens, in my experience, once in a lifetime. It\u2019s a brilliant foundation. What I didn\u2019t want to do is just rest on the laurels of what we\u2019ve achieved before, but rather do proud by what Sir Frank achieved, and build on top of his legacy.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Williams<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tWilliams racer Alex Albon takes part in a practice session before the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Mexico City in October.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJakub Porzycki\/NurPhoto via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat has been, and continues to be, your approach in forging a winning identity once again\u2014fostering that comeback mentality?<\/p>\n

\n\tFirst of all, belief. I really do believe that we will win multiple championships here. The next element of things is making it my own . . . it\u2019s about honesty, transparency, doing this the right way, in a sportsman way, looking back on what you\u2019ve done and be proud of it in that regard. I know we have a long road in front of us, but that also means, because so much is broken, in such a good way I mean it, I don\u2019t have to worry about fine tuning, and I don\u2019t have to worry about upsetting anyone when we dig it out and start again. It gives you a unique opportunity to literally tear it all out, build foundations, do it the right way, no shortcuts. What I\u2019m doing is building a legacy that will continue for many years beyond when I\u2019m at the helm of this team, I\u2019m confident, so that this team goes back to the front. That\u2019s sort of the ethos I\u2019ve been using behind it all.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Atlassian<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tAtlassian Williams Racing\u2019s Carlos Sainz (left), Alex Albon (right), and James Vowles (back).<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAtlassian Williams Racing<\/p>\n

\n\tWilliams is currently sitting right behind Ferrari in the standings. What are the main factors contributing to the team\u2019s improvement this season?<\/p>\n

\n\tHere\u2019s the kicker; we didn\u2019t really put a lot of work into this year\u2019s car. All we did was develop systems, structures, processes, technology for the future . . . the output of this year\u2019s car is just getting a few fundamentals right, and that\u2019s one of the things that makes me smile, because it never was a focus.<\/p>\n

\n\tI love that we\u2019re fifth, and I want to fight for fifth, but the reality behind it is we didn\u2019t put effort into being fifth this year. We put effort into [the] future, which pays dividends today. And it\u2019s the biggest lesson, if I could say to anyone, focus on the future and it will give you deliverance in a shorter period of time. So that\u2019s what we\u2019ve done.<\/p>\n

\n\tHow would you describe your management style when it comes to the role of team principal?<\/p>\n

\n\tIt\u2019s brutal honesty, and at times it hurts\u2014nothing hidden, everything on show. It\u2019s collaborative, we\u2019re about one team. In my experience, everything is about people and culture, so that\u2019s where I invest all my time and energy. The technology is an output from that, the systems are an output from that, the process is an output from that. Rarely is it a human being that\u2019s at fault. It\u2019s more how we ask them to do their job.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Alex<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tAlex Albon\u2019s race car gets removed from the track after his crash in qualifying for the 2025 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tKym Illman\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\n\tI really do believe in \u2018fail fast\u2019 with the right environment, because that failure, it really hurts when you do it the right way, but the learning you get on the backside of it is so potent and powerful. All too often, when failure happens, it\u2019s easy to resort to blame. When you resort to blame, there\u2019s no learnings that come out of it. Mine is very much \u2018take your learnings,\u2019 because that\u2019s what makes you much stronger in the future.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat has been the impact of having Carlos Sainz on the team?<\/p>\n

\n\tIt showed that we are a serious entity. [We are] not here to take someone else\u2019s drivers or to finance a seat, we are here to make sure we make a stance, that we are fighting for wins. All I did with him is, for a period of six months, show him exactly what we\u2019re doing, and he could see bits of it were transpiring along the journey, which gave him the confidence that we are really here for his goodness and for the long-term investment.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat it also did was [give] the team a step that they haven\u2019t had for many, many years. It\u2019s two really great drivers that, this season, have been instrumental in why we have two podiums to our name, why we have fifth in the Constructors Championship. It\u2019s not by luck; it\u2019s by having a really great set of drivers who are aligned with us. So that\u2019s what Carlos brings.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Atlassian<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tCarlos Sainz in the heat of competition during the 2025 Grand Prix of Italy in September.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAlessio Morgese\/NurPhoto via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\n\tHow would you describe the dynamic between Alex and Carlos as teammates?<\/p>\n

\n\tThe best example I can provide you is the podium at Baku. Alex had a pretty diabolically bad race\u2014crashed in qualifying, didn\u2019t really make progress in the race, and yet, the second he stopped his car, he ran to come join us on the podium. I dare you to find me another team where, when [one] teammate is on the podium, the other one is down next to them, it just doesn\u2019t exist. [Alex] was celebrating the fact that we are on the right journey together at the same time.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat Alex has been doing all year long is taking Carlos through how he\u2019s learned some of the intricacies of the car\u2014it\u2019s not hidden. He knows that it will be at the cost of Carlos potentially being able to out-qualify him. Doesn\u2019t matter. This is about making us better going forward.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Alex<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tAlex Albon in action during the 2025 Dutch Grand Prix.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGabriele Lanzo\/Alessio Morgese\/NurPhoto via Getty Images<\/p>\n

\n\tHow do the new regulations for the 2026 season play to the strengths of Williams?<\/p>\n

\n\tNext year\u2019s car has been in the wind tunnel since January 2. It\u2019s the earliest date you can put it in there, and we\u2019ve been pretty much solely working on next year\u2019s car. It allows us to really undo five to 10 years\u2019 worth of ways of doing things that are wrong, being blunt. Next year\u2019s car is the biggest change that I can remember in our regulations. It\u2019s a clean sheet of paper. Nothing carries over, not even a bolt. It gives us the opportunity to get what we\u2019ve perhaps not been doing right . . . right. That\u2019s where it plays to Williams\u2019 strength.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat I\u2019m seeing now is some really nice innovation that\u2019s taking place. And what these regulations allow you to do is to think differently to everyone else, and that can gain you an advantage. It means others can get an advantage, too, but I do think that plays into our strengths somewhat.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhat are you most proud of as far as the team\u2019s performance this season?<\/p>\n

\n\tThere are moments that we\u2019ve had to step up and take results, and we have\u2014the podium, the fourth places. Every time the team has taken risks . . . from Baku, executing a really good qualifying strategy, to Melbourne, executing a really good race . . . we\u2019ve sort of been at the front, and when there\u2019s opportunity, we\u2019ve been able to take it, which is part of the reason we are at the points table.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"James<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tJames Vowles monitors qualifying for the 2025 Grand Prix of Singapore. <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBryn Lennon\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\n\tProbably one of the proudest moments isn\u2019t the podium. It was when we booked with the media that we were going to launch the car at 9 a.m. at Silverstone on a particular date, and that date was set four months in advance. That car came together at 4 a.m. [that morning]. That was the first time it was a complete 20,000-component car. [It was] a really proud moment for me to watch it drive out of the garage five hours later. The engineering involved in getting 20,000 bits together in the same place, fitting, and working in the space of a few hours is tremendous, and yet it was achieved.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhere do you still see need for improvement?<\/p>\n

\n\tEverywhere. There\u2019s not one part of Williams yet that\u2019s at a championship level. Very harsh words for me, but that\u2019s the reality . . . We have to keep stretching ourselves and improving everywhere. That doesn\u2019t matter whether I\u2019m talking about aerodynamics, vehicle dynamics, tires, race strategy, what we\u2019re doing with engineering at the track . . . we still have margin to go before we\u2019re hitting world-championship material in all of those areas. But that has to be the goal. That\u2019s why I\u2019m here.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Carlos<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\tCarlos, James, Alex, and many others of the Atlassian Williams Racing team celebrate a podium finish in Baku back in September.<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tClive Rose\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

\n\tHow do you see Formula 1\u2019s presence growing in the luxury sector, and what does that mean for the sport?<\/p>\n

\n\tIt generally has a perception of a luxury brand; you\u2019ve got LVMH and Tag Heuer as a part of it. What Formula 1 has done really well, and I include our own partner base, is [cover] a whole spectrum, up and down, on where they need to be. And I think one of the things we have to recognize is, it can be treated as a luxury . . . as one incredible once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be there by the track, and you can treat yourself to whichever level of spectator you want to be. But actually, that only constitutes about two percent of our viewing market. The rest are, as you can imagine, online [or on] TV. So we have to make sure that, as a brand, we appeal to 700 million eyes a year . . . rather than just one particular sector.<\/p>\n

\n\tHow do you personally define luxury?<\/p>\n

\n\tFor me, it\u2019s time. That\u2019s the biggest luxury that, if you gave me more of, I would take every second you can give me.<\/p>\n

\tAuthors<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\"Viju<\/p>\n

\n\t\tViju Mathew\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Shifting gears from his degree in physical geography, Viju Mathew has spent the last decade covering most categories of the luxury market prior to becoming Robb Report’s automotive editor. Along with\u2026<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\tRead More\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Formula 1 fans who have just found the sport within the last several years, particularly since the debut…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":294908,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[573],"tags":[64,63,817,813,816,824,44,85,169260],"class_list":["post-294907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-formula-1","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-f1","tag-formula-1","tag-formula1","tag-motorsport","tag-news","tag-sports","tag-williams-formula-1-team"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/294907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=294907"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/294907\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/294908"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=294907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=294907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=294907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}