James Vowles: Only a small step forward has been made

      James Vowles, head of Williams, commented on the changes made to the 2026 regulations and also talked about what his team has achieved in their efforts to improve the efficiency of the FW48 chassis…

      Question: Let's start with your thoughts on the amendments to the technical regulations that were made before this weekend… James Vowles: I think this is a good example of cooperation between the FIA and the teams, and the decision was reached very quickly. Moreover, this is not just one decision, but a whole set of two or three dozen decisions was made. We constantly compete with each other, but ultimately these changes will make our sport better, and it was nice to see that the teams combined their efforts.

      Question: The start of the 2026 season has been challenging for Williams – what progress can be made this weekend after the April break in the championship? James Vowles: Yes, there was indeed a lot of hustle during the winter, and the break gave us the opportunity to reset, catch our breath, make up for lost time, and create an action plan not only for Miami but for the rest of the season.

      I am proud of the work done by the team; each of its divisions worked with maximum effort, and everyone spent many hours at work. However, the gap to the leaders is very large, and we have only made a small step forward, and the task is to continue moving in this direction in the upcoming stages of the season.

      Question: What results should the team achieve in 2026 for you to consider the season successful? James Vowles: For me, success will be if our car reaches the leading positions in the midfield by the time we complete its upgrade cycle, i.e., after the August break. Then we will begin developing the chassis for next year. In other words, it’s about solving engineering challenges.

      We have been working on this for the past five weeks, trying to reduce the car's weight, although this task is not yet fully resolved, but a noticeable step has already been made. We have also tried to improve its aerodynamic efficiency, but this can only be tested on the track. Work is ongoing on another 40 or 50 projects aimed at increasing speed, and when they are implemented, we will need to check that these solutions actually work as we expect.

      Question: Dan Milner has moved from Mercedes to Williams – when will his contribution to the car's performance become noticeable? James Vowles: It is already being felt. I worked with Dan for many years at Mercedes, but we also welcomed Claire Simpson, who started her duties today. Over the next three months, the team will be joined by several more excellent specialists. But Dan's influence is already very significant; we are doing a tremendous amount of work in the areas where he has experience, and thanks to his contribution, the direction of further development has already been adjusted somewhat.

      What I particularly like about Williams is that the team is not resistant to the changes we are making for future successes…

      Question: You mentioned that during the break in the season, you tried to reduce the car's weight. Can you provide some figures on how much lighter the FW48 has become? James Vowles: By a couple of kilograms. And achieving this was not easy! I meant that the development of engineering solutions that will allow us to completely eliminate excess weight from the car has been completed, but they have not yet been implemented due to budget constraints. We must act cautiously and thoughtfully, choosing which solutions will be implemented, and this choice must be made in a timely manner.

      It is encouraging that we have already demonstrated that we are capable of developing a chassis that will be at the right level, including in terms of weight. But implementing these solutions will take time. Right now, the car has become lighter by a couple of kg, but overall, it can be said that it will continue to lose a couple of kg in several upcoming races.

      Question: Speaking of the influence of drivers on the adjustment of regulations, your drivers also participated in meetings at the FIA level. Do you welcome this? Or are there concerns that at times they will act in their own interests rather than the interests of the team? James Vowles: The interests of the sport as a whole are paramount. I want to say that I have a pragmatic attitude in this regard, but Formula 1 has achieved such commercial success precisely because the championship is currently in excellent shape and continues to develop.

      Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz are talking about this, and I agree with our drivers. It’s not about making the Williams team better, but about listening to the opinions of drivers who are saying how, in their view, to improve our sport as a whole. And as long as we apply this approach to addressing such issues, there should be no problems.