Hill compares Vowles to Brawn: It's what Williams have been crying out for

Damon Hill believes that James Vowles will "sort out" Williams, with the new team boss being compared to former F1 stalwart Ross Brawn. Vowles joined the Grove-based outfit ahead of the 2023 season, having previously acted as Mercedes' Motorsport Strategy Director. He worked with the Silver Arrows for 21 years, including during their previous guises as British American Racing, Honda and Brawn GP. While the team currently remain at the bottom of the Constructors' Championship, the likes of Alex Albon have spoken positively about where the squad are now compared to in the previous year. Hill – who won his 1996 World Championship with Williams – feels confident that Vowles is the right person to continue to lead the team forwards.

Hill praises Vowles

"They've got James Vowles, who's got such a lot of knowledge from Mercedes, the dominant Mercedes team," Hill told the F1 Nation podcast. "He will be putting ducks in a row." Hill feels that Vowles bears similarities to Brawn, who the former worked with during the Mercedes team's championship-winning Brawn GP period. "I listen to him and I think he sounds very like Ross Brawn," Hill added. "[He has a] measured way of talking. He never sounds flustered at all, and he's clear in his own mind as to what he's doing. "I think he will sort out [the team]. I think it's what Williams have been crying out for for years." Albon scored Williams' first point of the campaign at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix, while rookie Logan Sargeant is yet to finish in the points.