(Motorsport) Formula 1 team Williams have appointed James Vowles, the former head of strategy at Mercedes who was instrumental in the team’s success from 2014 to 2021. He replaces Jost Capito, who was sacked by Williams in December after a two year stint with the team. Williams is one of the most iconic Formula 1 teams that dominated the grid in the 1980s and 1990s but have underperformed in recent years, finishing last in the past three years. The team have also undergone a management change with the Williams family selling them to Dorilton Capital, which yielded little improvements.
“I cannot wait to start with Williams Racing. The team is an icon of our sport, one I greatly respect, and I am very much looking forward to the challenge. I am grateful for everything Toto and the team have provided, and it has been such a special experience to journey together through failure and success. The team will need a change to the culture and methods and systems. What is required is a restrengthening of the technical team but also allowing those internally who are incredibly good to shine and prosper.
“I suspect the environment they’ve had around them isn’t one that is conducive to that. I am fortunate enough to have known failure. The real gain is you have to instil a culture that allows everyone to realise you have to be empowered – you have to grow and move forward together. It has to be one collaborative motion, and I strongly suspect that collaboration is not quite at the level it could be or should be, just because it has been a few years of pain that has cemented it.” – Williams team principal James Vowles
“James is one of the most highly respected talents in Formula 1 and will bring performance. He has been a key part of some of the most impressive feats in the sport over the past 15 years. We believe that the appointment of James reinforces our dedication to ensuring we have energetic, experienced and strong leadership as we move into the next phase of transforming Williams Racing.” – Matthew Savage, chairman of Williams
Also read: Formula 1 team Williams announce launch date of 2023 car
