James Vowles, Williams Formula 1 team principal, has admitted that the team's disastrous 2026 campaign made him worry about losing both Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon before they signed contract extensions. The duo have now committed their future to the Grove-based outfit, providing a much-needed boost.
Williams received a shot in the arm earlier this week when Albon took up an extension for the 2027 season, while Sainz signed a 'multi-year' deal. This came amid a difficult year that exposed procedural deficiencies and left the team languishing at the back of the grid.
Vowles, who had worked hard to convince Sainz to join in 2025, expressed his relief. "[I was] concerned about losing both, because they are world championship material drivers that deserve the opportunity to be fighting for podiums or more," he said at Zandvoort. "We haven't delivered that. And more than that, we had a scope of where we were moving to. Last year was a blip - a step in the right direction, but moving backwards is a surprise to everyone."
Support Amid Struggles
Despite the difficult period, Vowles highlighted that Sainz and Albon did not point fingers but instead stood by the team. "They came into the factory, spoke to the whole organisation and gave them a lift. Carlos did the same and Alex did the same this week once they re-signed," he noted.
With Max Verstappen renewing his Red Bull deal and other top teams retaining their line-ups, opportunities for Sainz or Albon to make a significant move were limited. However, Vowles is adamant that both drivers fully buy into the long-term project he has embarked on.
"They want this to be a part of them that is here on a turnaround of this organisation. I'm thankful for that. It's also an indication of what we've shown them in the back end and what we're doing about it," he concluded.
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