– Williams team principal James Vowles revealed why he values his driver duo of Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz so highly. Albon joined Williams back in 2022, while Sainz signed for the 2025 season in Grove after being replaced at Ferrari by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton.
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In an interview with Frankie Langan, Vowles especially praised the humility of both drivers and their drive to put the team’s goals first.
“They are two brilliant drivers. From this perspective, I consider myself very lucky. No politics, no ego. They would have every right to have an ego, but they have none,” explained the Brit. “They really give their all and want Williams to be successful just like I do. Their commitment goes far beyond just driving the car. It really goes way beyond that.”
Vowles: Sainz communication “the best I have ever worked with”
After talking about other drivers he has worked with in the past – such as Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at Mercedes – Vowles added: “As for Carlos: His communication with the engineers is the best I have ever worked with. He has the ability to really precisely convey what he feels in the car while simultaneously linking it directly to the data.”
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“With Alex, it’s this natural ability to get the maximum out of himself and others especially under changing conditions – you saw that in Melbourne and on a few other occasions. They all have different skills.”
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Albon as a team player: “No emotional baggage”
“What I would say about Carlos and Alex is that beyond that, they carry no ‘baggage’ with them. They just want the team to be strong,” Vowles continued. This leads them to support the team regardless of whether they themselves had a bad day or not.
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“The best example I can give: Alex stood by my side on the podium when Carlos was up there. I don’t know any other driver on the grid who would do that. But he is fully focused on Williams and doesn’t carry the frustration of a bad day with him. And to be clear: He was sick that weekend and still gave everything he could.”
Vowles took over as team principal at Williams in 2023 and has since been working to bring the traditional team back to its former strength and back to the top. It was clear that this would be a lengthy process – especially since Williams had a difficult start to the 2026 season and is currently only ninth in the constructors’ standings.
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