James Vowles extends his contract with Williams, with a promise: “We will win!”

James Vowles, who has been team principal for two years, has renewed his contract with Williams. He also unveiled his plans to bring the iconic British team back to the top

James Vowles has renewed his commitment to Williams — and there couldn’t be better news right now for the historic British outfit. Since joining at the beginning of 2024, Vowles has transformed Williams into a far more competitive force than it had been in recent years.

The renewal was announced directly by Williams on their official social channels, where fans and insiders alike praised the decision to secure Vowles — widely regarded as a true asset for the team. A product of the Mercedes school and a close confidant of Toto Wolff (he famously delivered that memorable team radio message to Bottas at the 2018 Russian Grand Prix), Vowles brought the Mercedes way of working to Grove, swiftly turning around the fortunes of a car that had been on the brink.

Results under Vowles and his bold promise: “We’re here to win the World Championship”

Williams’ structural and on-track improvements during the Vowles era are clear for all to see. In his first season in 2024, with the Albon–Sargeant pairing (which at times felt like running a single car), and later with the addition of Colapinto, the team scored 17 points and finished ninth in the Constructors’ standings.

In 2025, his second year at the helm, Vowles made a decisive move by bringing in Carlos Sainz alongside Albon — a choice that paid off handsomely, as the team secured an impressive 55 points, its best tally since 2016, the final year of what might be called the team’s “silver age.” Selecting Sainz was anything but accidental: as Vowles has stated multiple times, the Spaniard was chosen with an eye firmly on the future, especially given how high the stakes will be from 2026 onward.

Reflecting on the renewal and the journey so far, Vowles commented: “I’m absolutely thrilled to sign a new contract with Williams, a team that has made me feel at home from day one. This iconic squad has already given me unforgettable memories, and we are all united by the ambition to win the World Championship once again. Over the past two years, we have focused on laying solid foundations, and now we have a platform from which we can aim for glory in the years to come “.

The use of the word “World Championship” might sound overly ambitious — even ironic — to some, but within Williams, that has been the goal since the day Vowles arrived in Grove. It’s a bold statement from a true leader and charismatic figure determined to bring a team that last claimed a title in 1997 back to the battle for what truly matters: winning.

Photo: Atlassian Williams Racing