Ninth in the constructors' championship with two Grands Prix remaining in 2024, Williams F1 will not have had a great season despite the improvement in recent years.
But according to driver Alex Albon, the Grove-based team should not be judged solely on their championship position, with the Thai driver believing the season has actually been better than it seems.
Is this also the opinion of its CEO, James Vowles, questioned on the issue at a press conference in Qatar?
“At the end of the day, the championship position is what it is. But we have a car that can, since we updated it, fight in qualifying. We had a car that, in Brazil, was still in the top 3 before our accident We did a lap in Vegas with Franco who… We started way too close to another car, but we did a lap that would have been faster than Gasly's. “
“But with, it seems to me, 15 accidents this year, we have been much more focused on getting back on the grid than on trying to move forward. And as we discussed at the start of the year, we We've made monumental changes in what we do internally and in fact we continue to do so. But the result was that we didn't produce a car that met the weight limit, which really hurt us. penalized during the first part of So I think it's fair to say there's more progress than the championship position suggests, but ultimately we're judged by our position in the standings.
In Las Vegas, Franco Colapinto was the victim of one of these numerous accidents in qualifying, and in a spectacular way since the Argentinian suffered a crash measured at more than 50 G. The driver also declared after the race that he had suffered a concussion in the incident. Was Vowles then worried that he wouldn't be able to start the Grand Prix the next day?
“I don't think there was a formal concussion check following that. What I can say is that we asked the medical team to assess him the next day. After on a night's rest, they assessed him in different ways and allowed him to participate in the race. What I would say is that the FIA did a great job because it was a huge shock. G, it's huge and what I wanted. make sure that before I put anyone back in the car, they are perfectly clear and competent in this regard.”
“For Franco, this is probably the most serious accident he has ever suffered, by far, in his life. For me, the most important thing is that he is in good health and that he well. I think he did a good job during the race. It's always difficult to start from the back, but he fought to get back into the pack. needed with the car and it wasn't really the best that we've ever done. But yeah, that's about it. The main thing is that he was cleared to race by the FIA the next day.
Vowles ready to let go of Colapinto for another team in 2025?
Despite this accident, Franco Colapinto continues to attract a lot of interest from other teams, while Williams F1 is already full for 2025 with Alex Albon and the arrival of Carlos Sainz. Would Vowles be ready to let him leave for other skies? And if not, how can we make him progress during his year on the sidelines?
“If Franco is not in a seat next year, we will have a two-year-old car at his disposal. He will drive this car a lot to gain speed. I already did that in a past life with Esteban Ocon when he took a year off Indeed, Esteban is here today and remains a good driver. There are things we can do effectively to maintain his strength. I can't really say more Right now I think these teams need to figure out what spots they have or don't have for next year before we can know where he's going, if he's going.”
Next season, Kimi Antonelli will make his debut in Formula 1 at Mercedes, replacing Lewis Hamilton. And while James Vowles actively contributed to his development when he was still with the German team, he speaks of his joy at seeing the Italian driver join the motorsport elite.
“I think he was 11 the first time I met him. When you follow someone's journey, you always feel a certain pride when they succeed. But I wasn't the only one to participate in this trip, Toto Wolff was there, Gwen Lagrue too And I think they are doing a great job, keeping it on the right track. It's a very big step, a big step already in Formula 2, then. another big step in a Formula 1. I would say they have done a very good preparation, they have clues of what they are doing around the world. I can't wait to see how he does in his first races.
