‘I believe in him’ – Albon hails Vowles as ‘right man’ to lead Williams and predicts when team could fight for wins

Alex Albon is optimistic that James Vowles can take Williams back to the front of the grid, but has been pragmatic about when he believes the historic Grove outfit will be able to consistently take the fight to the top teams.

In contrast to their remarkable success throughout the 1990s, Williams have struggled over the last few years, frequently finding themselves as backmarkers contesting for occasional points finishes.

HALF TERM REPORT: Williams – Early-season chassis dramas cause a headache, but will their long-term approach pay off?

As the summer break draws to a close, they sit ninth in the constructors’ standings, just four points clear of last-placed Kick Sauber. Those points have come courtesy of Albon's P9 finishes in Monaco and Great Britain, while his team mate Logan Sargeant came closest to the points in Silverstone too, when he finished in P11.

Since Vowles took over as Team Principal in January 2023, the future has appeared brighter for Williams with new recruits joining, a restructuring of the technical staff, and they have invested in upcoming seasons. This has also culminated in the triumphant eight-month campaign to sign out-going Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, who has committed to a multi-year deal under Vowles.

Working towards battling for more points, podiums, and perhaps even titles is the long-term goal for the project, with Albon telling Autosport he believes Vowles is very much the right person to lead them forward.

“James [Vowles] has brought me into it,” he explained. “He’s very straight. He doesn’t tell you things are better than they actually are, and I like that.

"I feel like whenever something's not come to plan he tells me the areas that the team needs to work on. He tells me if there's anything I can do to help.

"He is the right man for the job and I believe in him and feel like we've got the right people."

READ MORE: ‘I’m really excited by what we have coming’ – Vowles on signing Sainz, re-shaping his technical team, and his long-term plans for Williams

During Vowles’ tenure, he has set a strong foundation for the next few seasons by recruiting almost 300 new members of staff, including former Alpine Technical Director Matt Harman and personnel from Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull.

Williams are also primarily focusing on 2026 and beyond, when an overhaul of aerodynamic and power unit regulations could reset the grid and give current underperforming teams the chance to rapidly progress up the order.

However, that does mean sacrificing their current results for the bigger picture, something which Albon is acutely aware of.

READ MORE: The F1 ‘super-weapon’? How the development battle between the Formula 1 factories has ignited the 2024 season

He said: "If I am being totally honest, I don't see us being in position to fight for wins and titles for a while, but to do steps where we start nipping in and getting podiums and whatnot.

"I believe that 2026 would be difficult, but winning in '27 would be much more realistic. We've got great investment, and we're recruiting very aggressively.

"But we don't need any encouragement. With the last couple of years, especially seeing that growth that we've had – of course we're going through a tougher time of it now – but that drive and that motivation in the team, it is really enjoyable to be part of that."