"I needed a leader, not just someone who is quick in the car" - stated Vowles, the team principal of Williams.

---

James Vowles explains that he made the decision to leave the familiar environment of the top-tier Formula 1 team Mercedes in favor of Williams for valid reasons. He has not only spoken about his intentions but has also taken action by recruiting Carlos Sainz to spearhead the iconic team.

Since taking over as the Williams F1 Team Principal, Vowles has been quite vocal. Initially, many of us, included, had doubts about his credibility, particularly when he praised Logan Sargeant excessively, despite the American consistently being outperformed by Alex Albon each race weekend.

On a positive note, he also made a daring move by expressing interest in F1's star designer Adrian Newey, proposing that a return to Williams would be a logical career move—even if Ferrari and/or Aston Martin were to offer more lucrative deals to the mastermind behind every Red Bull F1 car that secured victories and championships.

Vowles made a bold decision, unsure of Newey's choice. Then, Carlos Sainz became involved. How can you persuade a driver who is likely to be turned down by Ferrari (and who won in Melbourne this year) that joining the struggling Williams team is his best alternative?

In a conversation with F1.com, Vowles revealed for the first time the process behind the Sainz-to-Williams agreement: “The first time I spent time with his family was in Abu Dhabi. We had to sneak them around the back so they could come upstairs to my office to chat [without being seen]. That was the first time I met all of them, and the first time I got to know them.

“We connected because they have family values very similar to my own—honesty, performing on track without politics, and doing the best job you can with the equipment you have. These values resonated a lot between both parties. This was in Abu Dhabi 2023, so no one knew what would happen with Carlos.”

The F1 world was shocked by the events that followed. The effects of Hamilton's confirmed move to Ferrari on February 1, leaving Mercedes for Maranello in 2025, are still reverberating. Sainz was displaced with Charles Leclerc becoming his teammate. The Spaniard has ten more races in red ahead, beginning with the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix.

Vowles provided an explanation: “I made sure they understood that we were serious about moving back towards the front—getting to know me was part of that. Then, the news about Lewis took us by surprise, and it caught Carlos off-guard as well. That’s when I started the normal negotiation process.

“All the way through—and it’s worth checking with Carlos as he’ll tell you the same—everything I told him about this project was the truth, including both the good bits and the bad. From start to finish, I was consistent: this is who we are, this is what we’re investing in, this is why I believe in it, and this is what the future looks like. Do you want to be part of it?”

Sainz has recently agreed to a two-year contract to team up with Albon at the renowned F1 squad. Founded by Sir Frank Williams, Williams has an illustrious history with 114 Grand Prix wins and has produced seven F1 World Champions, in addition to clinching F1 Constructors’ Championships in 1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, and 1997.

The team boasts a proud legacy and lineage, featuring a range of iconic F1 cars that have dominated different eras of the sport, akin to Ferrari, Mercedes, and more recently, Red Bull.

Vowles appears to be motivated and inspired by this history: “I believe in this project; I left the comfort of Mercedes to be here for a good reason. We have a history that makes us the second-most successful team on the grid, and we have real, tangible investors who are serious about this project. We want success, and this is what success looks like.

“Fundamentally, the same couldn’t be said up and down the grid to the same level and with the same commitment. If this isn’t a sign that Williams has changed, nothing will convince you,” Vowles asserted.

“I needed a leader, not just someone who is quick in the car. I wanted everything around them to be just right in order to create performance. Carlos has that. If you look at every team he’s joined, you’ll see that they ended up in a much better place than where they started.”

The team principal of Williams F1 also mentioned “more late-night events in a hotel room than I want to think about! A lot of late nights, lots of phone calls, and giving him the space to think about it before we executed. I was very public about wanting him as part of the team. You can look like a hero or a zero. I knew that from the beginning, but I wanted him to know how much he is a part of what I envision for the future of Williams.

“The way you do that is by wearing your heart on your sleeve and putting it out there for the world to see. You can get hurt, or you can experience the strongest emotional connection from something. I’d much rather he and the world know that he’s an incredible athlete—and that I know we would work well together.

“If it had gone the other way, I would still have no regrets. You have to do what it takes to get the right people in the organization. It’s hard to know what might have happened if things had gone differently, but all the work was worth it,” declared Vowles.

It appears that Williams will benefit greatly from Carlos Sainz, as even Fred Vasseur, who might have considered replacing Sainz with Leclerc for Hamilton at Mercedes, had nothing but praise for him: “Carlos is extremely reliable. Out of the last 36 races, there were only two where he faced challenges. He consistently performs at a high level, showing great dedication, focus, and a deep understanding of the car.”