F1 2018 key5/18/2023 They have experience, they have the best people on the grid, and as you become better and better at what you do, you also become more cost cap efficient. To break into the top three is incredibly difficult. It’s progress, and that’s exactly what Vowles wants to see from Williams as its overarching target before he starts envisioning a very different future for the team. No other team found a full second, and the likes of Alfa Romeo and AlphaTauri only moved forward by a tenth or two. Comparing qualifying sessions in Bahrain in 20, only Aston Martin’s incredible 2.4-second step betters the 1.2-second gain made by Williams. If he needed any evidence to prove his point that Williams’ current situation “is not for a lack of good people, it’s simply a lack of stability”, Vowles can point to the winter gains across the grid. Yuki Tsunoda and Logan Sargeant go wheel-to-wheel in Bahrain “What I have to do is create an environment where our individuals, our staff and employees believe in the same vision I believe in and that results in them staying as a part of the organisation because they want to be part of something successful that they are in from the ground up.” “Clearly what’s on offer at Mercedes or Red Bull versus Williams is success and that at the moment is not something I can offer, and that will create drive to go in that direction. Certainly you can do that but if you highlight key individuals in your organisation, look after them and pay them correctly, salary isn’t the only driver. “Pay cheques aren’t the largest driver any more because the cost cap has driven that down. “What’s on offer at Mercedes or Red Bull versus Williams is success” One type of attrition is staff going to other teams. It was a problem as I was leaving Mercedes and it’s a problem here in Williams. “Attrition full stop in Formula 1 is a problem. Convincing others to join him at Williams to try and create a similar culture that the team can buy into is something that he knows will be a major challenge. Of course, Vowles had a long look at what excellence is through the dominant years at Mercedes, and also in the rivals he faced. “It has changed, and it’s very difficult when you remain within this tight-knit world of where you are, you sometimes don’t have the vision of what it looks like, and I think that’s more what we’re having here.” I’m not sure it’s so much in the way you’ve described any more (resistance), as much it is just people that haven’t had necessarily their eyes opened to what excellence is. “I think the belief on that has changed as a result of everyone seeing the results they have achieved over the last few years. But Vowles is quick to point out that there’s not a resistance to change within Williams, and certainly no lack of ambition or ability, but simply a handicap that is the byproduct of years of struggle. He sees Williams as the most iconic name in the sport behind Ferrari, but that’s the biggest attraction of the team at present and he’s not letting romanticism get in the way of why Williams has been struggling.Įven heading into the first race, there were some growing slightly frustrated at the lack of a spark that had come from Capito’s departure. “About what I expected, with maybe some things slightly worse!”Īlex Albon driving for Williams during 2023 F1 pre-season testing But the detail behind what needs to be done across the next six months isn’t formed in my mind.”Īsked if he at least now knew the scale of what he is dealing with, Vowles replied: “That I do, I think it’s fair to say. “I’ve had a chance now to walk round the facility and meet – albeit briefly, for a few seconds – individuals within the team, so I have a very, very macro-awareness of what’s there and what’s not there. “Because of testing and because of racing the amount of days physically in the factory just haven’t been at the level required,” Vowles said ahead of the opening round. While that department remains without a leader, the team has a new one in James Vowles and in just two weeks he has been understanding the magnitude of the project he has taken on. And against that backdrop hopes were not exactly high heading into 2023 as the technical team worked to improve last year’s car. Well, there was certainly plenty of the latter when Capito and technical director FX Demaison departed in December.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |