Alex Albon has admitted he was ‘told off’ by Williams for what he said about the job team principal James Vowles has done since taking over the iconic Formula 1 squad.
The Grove outfit appointed Vowles to their helm in January 2023 after finishing the previous season last in the championship. Williams saw the potential of what Vowles would add after acting as the strategy director at Mercedes. He had also worked in Brackley ever since 2001.
Vowles first joined the Formula 1 paddock with the Brackley natives while they ran as British American Racing (BAR). He also stayed through the Honda era from 2006-08, as Brawn GP in 2009 and as Mercedes. The Silver Arrows also won eight teams’ and nine drivers’ titles.
Williams ‘told off’ Alex Albon for saying James Vowles faces a ‘seismic’ task
Williams reaped the rewards from Vowles’ leadership last year, too, as the team sealed their best championship result since 2017. Albon and Logan Sargeant combined for 28 points and got seventh place in the standings. Williams had finished last in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022.
Albon led Williams’ rise on the track last year with 27 of the team’s points. He scored all but one of those points from the eighth round onward. Albon will hope to score his first point of 2024 at the Monaco GP after securing Williams their first Q3 appearance for P9 on the grid.
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Williams have also rewarded Albon with a new contract through, at least, the 2026 season. Part of the reason why the London-born Thai was prepared to sign up for so long in Grove was the honesty Vowles gives. But Albon’s honesty has gotten him in trouble with Williams.
“When we were struggling, [Vowles] was telling me why,” Albon told Sky Sports F1 (25/05, 16:28). “He was also telling me that it’s going to get worse and we are going to struggle more. In some ways, that honesty kind of makes me believe in the process.
“When you see what he’s doing behind the scenes, it is a lot. I got told off for saying seismic because that is too aggressive apparently. But it felt seismic. It does feel seismic in terms of what the foundations that we’re changing inside the team.
“Fundamentally, we need the foundations to change to make that step to be a top team. I know it will take time, maybe a little bit more time than any of us would like. But I trust in him and the board and I enjoy being here.”
Alex Albon has bided his time in 2024 after a slow start to the season
Williams turned a corner with their performances last year after taking an upgrade package to the Canadian GP. The Grove squad brought forward their plans for a new floor, rear wing, engine cover, rear suspension and sidepod inlets. It paid off with Albon finishing in seventh.
Albon took full advantage of Williams’ upgrades as their sole driver with the new package in Montreal. He utilised the FW45’s strong straight-line speed to hold off Esteban Ocon, Lance Stroll and Valtteri Bottas. Albon repeated the display at the Italian GP to deny Lando Norris.
But Williams have not scored a point in 2024 after their painful winter left the team playing catch-up. Albon had to bide his time before unlocking the FW46’s full potential owing to its early overheating issues and more generalised package costing the car its speed advantage.
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