James Vowles is committed to properly honoring the founder of the Williams team
« I joined this team because it was the benchmark. » These words from James Vowles highlight the importance of Sir Frank Williams' legacy in his eyes. As the team seeks to regain its former glory after a difficult period, Vowles is personally committed to honoring the memory of the visionary founder.
James Vowles stated that he is personally committed to paying tribute to the founder of Williams, Sir Frank Williams.
In September 2020, Williams sold his team to Dorilton Capital. Since then, the team has suffered from disappointing performances on track, including numerous retirements and accidents. Williams passed away in November 2021 at the age of 79. He was a British businessman and racing director, famous for being the founder and leader of the Williams Racing team, which won nine world titles. Under his leadership, the Williams team dominated Formula 1 in the 1980s and 1990s. Williams introduced technical innovations that positioned his cars at the forefront of performance. The team was a pioneer in using cutting-edge technology, including aerodynamics. Williams also had iconic drivers such as Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill, and Jacques Villeneuve in his team. This latter even made his return to the team as an ambassador.
After the 2022 season, Jost Capito, the former team leader, left his position. He was succeeded by James Vowles, ex-director of strategy at Mercedes, who took on his new responsibilities in 2023. Since then, Vowles has committed to changing the working methods and corporate culture at Williams. It’s not his drivers who would say otherwise, appreciating the work atmosphere. “I think what impressed me the most, if I’m honest with you, is everyone’s motivation,” Carlos Sainz, who had newly joined the team, notably stated during the presentation of the car for the 2025 season.
The new FW47 was recently launched at Silverstone, with the team’s new title sponsor Atlassian. Carlos Sainz has been recruited as a main driver following his departure from Scuderia Ferrari.
Honoring Williams’ legacy is something Vowles takes very much to heart.
When RacingNews365 asked him about the pride Williams would feel in observing the path taken by his team, Vowles replied: « That’s a very good question, and the short answer is yes, but not in exactly the same way ».
« When I put on the new clothes bearing the name Williams a few weeks ago for a shoot, I just took five minutes to be incredibly proud of having the opportunity to wear that name. We have a great responsibility, and I joined this team because it was the benchmark in the sport that redefined certain elements for me and brought me to the sport, and that’s why I lead Williams today. It means something very profound and very personal to me, and my goal is simply to bring this team back to championship level, and I want to make sure we do it justice, to its name and its legacy, concludes the Briton, whose ambitions are high for the new season opening the weekend of March 14-16 in Australia.
