Alex Albon had declared that he hoped to see Williams F1 fighting for victory in 2025. A hope which greatly surprised his director, James Vowles, who asked for more time to see the team reach this level. The Briton notes that the important thing is to be in the direction of success.
“Damn! I didn't realize he said that” Vowles said. “I think if you asked me to commit to a date, I would say 2028, but I think the main thing is that we are on track to get there.”
“There are quite a few investments, senior management and other elements, which are being put in place for 2026 and 2027. F1 takes time. We can shorten some elements and I am sure we can get faster performance.”
“But you won't have the foundations in place, and everything will collapse at one point or another. The key to success in F1 is not one year, but many years to come. In 2028, I would be much more confident to look you in the eye and say 'yes'.”
The Briton is delighted to have been able to recruit Carlos Sainz for the 2025 season, and he explains that he however refused to make it a subject of celebration in the team: “When the contract was signed, I was over the moon, and he knows I was over the moon.”
-“When I announced it to the factory, which was indeed the case, I appreciated the moment. Moments like this, there aren't many in your career, where you took a crucial decision that will completely change the direction and course of an organization.”
“It was within our management committee, who asked 'well, what are we doing to celebrate?', and I replied 'we're not celebrating'. It's not just one step among a thousand others that we must take to succeed.”
“I will be happy when you come to me and say 'Congratulations, Williams is a strong competitor who fights to win and to win championships'. Carlos is a huge asset, he is a brilliant driver, but he is a step on the path of this team returning to the forefront.”
