James Vowles admits multiple crashes slowed Williams’ 2024 development, but remains optimistic, highlighting significant progress at the team in Grove.
Ninth in the Constructors’ Championship with two races remaining in 2024, Williams F1 has not had a standout season, despite recent improvements.
However, according to driver Alex Albon, the team based in Grove should not be judged solely by its position in the standings, with the Thai driver believing the season has actually been better than it appears.
Is this also the view of CEO James Vowles, who was asked about the matter during a press conference in Qatar?
“Ultimately, the championship position is what it is. But we have a car that, since we updated it, can compete in qualifying. We had a car that was still in the top 3 in Brazil before our crash. We did a lap in Vegas with Franco that… We went out far too close to another car, but we did a lap that would have been quicker than Gasly’s.”
“But with, I believe, 15 accidents this year, we’ve focused far more on getting back on the grid than on our efforts to move forward. And as we discussed earlier this year, we’ve made monumental changes internally. And, by the way, we’re still doing that. But that resulted in us not producing a car that met the weight limit, which really hurt us in the first half of the year. So I think it’s fair to say there’s been more progress than the championship position suggests. But ultimately, we are judged by our position in the standings.”
In Las Vegas, Franco Colapinto was involved in one of those many crashes during qualifying, and it was particularly dramatic as the Argentine endured a 50 G impact. The driver later stated he had suffered a concussion from the incident. Was Vowles concerned that Colapinto might not be able to start the race the following day?
“I don’t think there was a formal concussion check after that. What I can say is that we asked the medical team to evaluate him the following day. After a night of rest, they assessed him in different ways and cleared him to race. What I’d say is that the FIA did an excellent job because it was a massive impact. 50 G is huge. And what I wanted to make sure of was that, before putting anyone back in the car, they were perfectly clear and fit in that regard.”
“For Franco, this is probably the worst crash he’s ever had, by far, in his life. For me, the most important thing is that he’s healthy and okay. I think he did a good job during the race. It’s always difficult starting from the back, but he fought to get back into the pack. I don’t think we had everything we needed with the car, and it wasn’t really the best one we’ve ever made. But yes, that’s about it. The key thing is that he was cleared by the FIA to race the following day.”
Vowles ready to release Colapinto for another team in 2025?
Despite the crash, Franco Colapinto continues to attract significant interest from other teams, while Williams F1 is already set for 2025 with Alex Albon and the arrival of Carlos Sainz. Would Vowles be ready to let him move elsewhere? And if not, how will he develop Colapinto during his year on the sidelines?
“If Franco doesn’t have a seat next year, we’ll have a two-year-old car available for him. He’ll drive it a lot to build speed. I’ve done this before in a previous life with Esteban Ocon when he took a sabbatical year. In fact, Esteban is here today and still a good driver. There are things we can do effectively to keep him strong. There is interest, but I can’t really say more at this point. I think those teams need to figure out which seats they have or don’t have for next year before we know where he’s going, if he’s going anywhere.”
Next season, Kimi Antonelli will make his Formula 1 debut with Mercedes, replacing Lewis Hamilton. And while James Vowles played an active role in his development during his time at the German team, he speaks of his joy at seeing the Italian driver reach the pinnacle of motorsport.
“I believe he was 11 years old the first time I met him. When you follow someone’s journey, you always feel a sense of pride when they succeed. But I wasn’t the only one involved in that journey, Toto Wolff was there, Gwen Lagrue too. And I think they’ve done an excellent job, keeping him on the right path. It’s a huge step, a big step in Formula 2, then another big step into Formula 1. I’d say they’ve done very good preparation, and they have a sense of what they’re doing globally. I’m excited to see how he performs in his first races.”
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Vowles Sees Progress at Williams Despite Multiple Crashes
Vowles Sees Progress at Williams Despite Multiple Crashes
