Williams's Last Year's Achievement 'Doesn't Mean Tremendous Amount' To Vowles

Tuesday, 06 February 2024 at 00:00

The team principal of Williams Racing, James Vowles, explained his team still has quite a gap to fill on their path to excellence.

Williams F1 team surpassed expectations last season when they scored seventh place in the Championship with a car that perhaps wasn't even the seventh fastest.

Nevertheless, the British team recorded its best result in six years without even bringing upgrades to their car. Vowles asserted he was proud of the achievement, but it didn't mean much in the bigger context. He said during Williams's 2024 car launch:

"Proud of what we've achieved, but seventh, it doesn't mean a tremendous amount to me. We've done a good job, not a great job... We've done a good job."

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Alex Albon seemed quite confident in his team's progress during the launch of FW24. He said Williams has "definitely done a good job."

On the other hand, we shouldn't expect miracles as his team principal tempered expectations by saying there is still quite a gap that can't be filled in a matter of a season.

"Here is what excellence looks like, and here is the gap that we've got to fill between those two. You're not going to do it in one year. That's simply just not possible, but we will get there."

Still, as opposed to some of its rivals, Williams started focusing on their 2024 car much earlier. This could give the British team an advantage at the beginning of the season. Vowles added:

"We will get there because perseverance, belief, and passion are at the highest level I've ever seen. And that carries you through a tremendous amount."

While the team would like to get close to the top of the field during the upcoming two seasons, Williams is conscious that their next biggest opportunity arrives with regulation changes in 2026.

The team has previously achieved nine Constructors' and seven Drivers' Championships. However, that was all before the year 2000. Could you imagine Williams comeback after more than 20 years and seeing the team competing with the likes of Ferrari at the top of the grid again?