Williams left the Formula 1 Japanese GP last weekend with a feeling of frustration and a promise to react. After facing difficulties in Suzuka, team principal James Vowles classified the race as ‘painful’ and stated that the moment will serve as a turning point for the season.
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The official highlighted that the team intends to use the upcoming weeks without races to seek performance evolution. With a five-week gap until the Miami GP, Vowles believes this period will be fundamental to putting Williams back in the hunt for points.
This weekend in Suzuka was complicated for the Grove team. Carlos Sainz finished only in 15th position, while his teammate Alex Albon crossed the finish line in 20th. The performance reflected the current limitations of the FW48, something the team principal openly acknowledged after the race.
Vowles made the team’s objective clear for the remainder of the championship in a message published on social media: “It was a painful day today (Sunday), and I want to make this a line in the sand and ensure that we add performance to every race from here on out this year, and fight to get back into the scoring positions every weekend,” he stated. He also highlighted the importance of the period without races, adding: “We need to maximize these next five weeks ahead of us.”
Despite the lower-than-expected result, Vowles praised his drivers’ performance. The Williams boss highlighted Sainz’s work, emphasizing that the Spaniard extracted as much as possible from the car: “Well done, Carlos, it was a faultless drive and he did everything he could, but that’s where the car is today,” he said.
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Albon also received praise from the official, especially for the work done throughout the race: “And well done, Alex, he drove perfectly and then completed a testing program that will be invaluable for our future learning,” Vowles stated.
With the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian GPs due to the war in the Middle East, Formula 1 will have a break before the round in Miami at the beginning of May. Vowles guaranteed that the team intends to make the most of this period: “These next five weeks will be some of the hardest for us, on purpose, as we work hard to ensure we come back with a car in Miami that is worthy of scoring points,” he added.
Finally, the Williams boss also commented on the heavy crash of Haas’s Oliver Bearman during the Japanese GP: “Regarding Ollie’s big crash, I’m glad he came away with only minor injuries. He’s a great driver, I’m glad he’s okay,” Vowles concluded.
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