Why Vowles 'loves' Williams' new Sainz-Albon partnership

Williams boss James Vowles has explained the reason why he “loves” his new driver line-up of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon. 

Sainz comes into Williams to partner Albon after a troubled season in 2024, where Logan Sargeant was stood down mid-season, in favour of Franco Colapinto. 

Despite the Argentine scoring points and showing flashes of pace, his high number of big crashes coincided with a freakish run for the team, with Albon also crashing multiple times in the latter half of the season, with the team suffering three in one day in Brazil. 

Sainz was a prime target for Vowles, with his capturing a statement of intent from the team, with Sainz the first driver with a grand prix win already under his belt to sign since Robert Kubica in 2019, although he was already a reserve driver. 

Felipe Massa in 2017 was the last grand prix winner to sign for Williams direct from another team, also Ferrari. 

Vowles is now into his third season at the helm of Williams, and spoke warmly of the dynamic between his two drivers - and explained how he was "having to hold them back.

"The dynamic in the team is tangibly different to anything that's been there since I've been in the team," he told media including RacingNews365.

"You've got two leaders who are pressing each other and pressing the team now for every detail that we can start pulling out, and I love that.

"That is why I am here for challenging us day to day, and they're absolutely fired up and motivated for this team bringing success, and we're almost having to hold them back a little bit, so we're getting carried away with what could be.

"The reality is that we're still rebuilding, still building technology, infrastructure, people, and culture but it is great to have them both on board, and I'm excited for Melbourne."