Williams F1 eyes key 2026 regulations shift as James Vowles relishes Montreal pace and historic FW14B drive in Canada Grand Prix weekend.
The Williams F1 team appears to be in excellent shape ahead of this weekend’s race in Montreal.
But before turning to the competition, James Vowles was asked about a completely different subject.
Before arriving at the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend, Vowles treated himself to a well-deserved pleasure: driving the legendary Williams FW14B, Nigel Mansell’s 1992 car.
Reflecting on what was undoubtedly a unique experience, the Williams F1 Team Principal wore a broad smile as he spoke during the FIA press conference.
“Yes, it was incredible. Honestly, when it was over, they left me in the car and asked if I needed a minute; I stayed there for ten minutes, just to savor the moment. We were mostly prepping it, making sure everything worked before taking it to Goodwood, and it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I can’t describe it any other way. It’s something I watched on TV thirty years ago, something I never dreamed I’d get close to, let alone drive. It’s an incredibly light car—exactly the same car Nigel used to win the championship in Budapest in 1992. And for me, just to be part of that is truly extraordinary.”
It’s worth noting that James Vowles also competed at a respectable level in GT racing, making him well-qualified to drive this Williams F1 car.
A lighter question followed, asking whether he was too tall for the cockpit (the Williams F1 boss is 1.84m tall).
“No. Thank you! I thought you were going to say too wide! Honestly, I went on a bit of a diet last year to slim down and make sure I could fit in. The biggest issue is my feet—they’re a bit large. I think Nigel’s feet are smaller than mine, so it’s quite tricky getting everything to fit into the nose of the car.”
Montreal, an ideal circuit for Williams F1?
James Vowles may well keep smiling this weekend, as both Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz were fast in free practice.
After a very tough Grand Prix in Barcelona—the most difficult of the year—can Williams F1 return to strong points this weekend in Montreal?
“I’m only laughing because Fred (Frédéric Vasseur) said… basically, he said there are no corners here and that’s why we’re fast. Spain is quite a unique track. Corners 3 and 9 are now flat out, and you stay in them a long time compared to other corners on the circuit, which isn’t the case at most other tracks. Remarkably, that’s more the exception than the rule. And without a doubt, we still have a deeply rooted issue in our car: when we face prolonged high-speed aerodynamic loading, we struggle. Barcelona made that clear.”
“The only thing I’d highlight is that we have improved, though. We were in a situation in Barcelona… we lost both front wings after the first lap—but the car could still have scored a point there, which is a very different situation from previous years.”
“But undoubtedly, Montreal is the complete opposite for us. It’s a track that plays very well to our car’s characteristics, with its short corners. I don’t think the picture will be quite as rosy as it looked in practice—McLaren wasn’t up front. But the key point is that we should be competitive enough to fight for points this weekend.”
While the 2025 season is shaping up promisingly, Williams F1 remains focused on the regulatory overhaul coming in 2026—a real opportunity to close the gap to the leading teams. Has the Grove-based outfit already shelved this year’s car to prepare as effectively as possible?
“I think you’ll find it probably differs from team to team. For us, I’ve been very clear on this. We pulled the car from the wind tunnel on January 2nd, deliberately. We’re here to make sure we have a shot.”
“Next year is a clean slate—everything can be redesigned. Nothing carries over. And for us at Williams, that’s a great opportunity to make sure we’re uncovering the right things and laying solid foundations. But that’s probably the exception, not the rule. For us, it’s a real chance to start fresh.”
