Williams Team Principal James Vowles signs new long-term contract

James Vowles has signed a brand new long-term contract as he continues on as Staff Principal at Williams, which means that he’ll stay on the head of the squad as they push to return to championship-winning glory.

Vowles joined the crew forward of the 2023 season from Mercedes, the place he had acted as Motorsport Technique Director for 4 years. He beforehand held key engineering and technique roles at Mercedes, Brawn GP, Honda and BAR throughout 21 years within the sport.

Since then the Briton – who is barely Williams’ third Staff Principal of their 48-year historical past – has been centered on remodeling the outfit as they give the impression of being to make their approach again to the entrance of the grid, following on from Dorilton Capital’s buy of the crew in 2020.

Thus far in 2025, Williams have loved their strongest begin to a season since 2016, with Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz usually clinching factors to offer the Grove-based squad a present place of fifth in the Teams’ Championship.

Their factors tally of 55 is greater than the whole factors scored by the crew throughout the earlier three seasons mixed.

“I’m delighted to signal a brand new contract with Atlassian Williams Racing, which has felt like house from the second I walked by means of the door,” stated Vowles, whose actual size of contract extension hasn’t been revealed.

“This iconic crew has already given me some unimaginable recollections and we’re all united in our ambition to construct on our legacy and win World Championships once more.

“Over the previous two years we now have centered on fixing the foundations, and now have a platform to go for glory within the years to come back.”

Matthew Savage, Chairman of Williams and Dorilton Capital, added: “We’re thrilled that James has signed a brand new contract with Atlassian Williams Racing and dedicated his future to finishing the mission that we’re on collectively.

“He has introduced expertise, vitality and strategic management to the duty of restoring Williams to the highest step of the rostrum. We aren’t there but however you possibly can sense the momentum we’re constructing at Grove and are enthusiastic about what lies forward.”

Lawrence Barretto, F1 Correspondent & Presenter, says…

Williams homeowners Dorilton Capital put loads of belief in James Vowles once they appointed him as Staff Principal (he had vital expertise as a part of the management crew at Mercedes however no crew principal expertise) and the information they’ve prolonged his deal proves they imagine he has rewarded that religion.

Since becoming a member of in January 2023, Vowles had maintained that reworking Williams’ fortunes from backmarkers to preventing on the sharp finish is a long-term challenge – and that there would probably be short-term ache as they rebuild and revitalise each a part of the operation. When he talks about targets, he refers to 2028 and 2029 earlier than he anticipates an enormous step up, so vital are the upgrades he and the homeowners suppose are wanted to remodel the crew.

Thus far, it’s all going quite nicely. Vowles pulled off a coup by signing Carlos Sainz, heading off competitors from Audi and Alpine – and the influence has been near-instant. Along with Alex Albon, they’ve fashioned a formidable line-up who’re working seamlessly collectively and driving the crew ahead.

And on monitor, after under-promising, the crew is over-delivering – they at the moment sit an excellent fifth, having been tenth within the season earlier than Vowles took over. And issues are trying encouraging for subsequent 12 months too.

They switched all improvement focus to 2026, when sweeping new guidelines are launched, months in the past – and can concurrently profit from extra wind tunnel and CFD (or computational fluid dynamics simulation) working time than their quick rivals within the first half of this 12 months due to their lowly end within the standings final 12 months.

Vowles’ plan seems to be working and the primary constructing blocks are in place, so it’s no shock that Dorilton have moved to lock him down for the foreseeable future.