Vowles reveals early talks for crucial F1 staff poaching

Williams Team Principal James Vowles has revealed he identified Pat Fry as a potential hire for the team in January.

The Grove-based squad announced that Fry would join it in November, taking over the Chief Technical Officer position.

Williams has been without a leading technical figure since the departure of FX Demaison at the end of last year’s campaign.

Vowles, who officially started with Wiliams in February this year, told media including RacingNews365.com: "The first time I spoke to Pat was actually back in January before I had officially started with Williams.

"It was just to make it clear, he was the one that highlighted that I really wanted to be within Williams.

"He’s exceptional at coming into organizations that you need someone to pull their sleeves up and properly get stuck into structures and systems.

"There are different types of CTOs available to you, there are ones that are very good at finding the last 10 milliseconds.

"There are ones who are very good at putting structures and systems in place and he's more the latter."

Fry onboard with Vowles' vision

Fry has left Alpine to take on the position at Williams, ending his three-and-a-half-year stint with the French manufacturer.

The 59-year-old is not the only senior personnel to leave Alpine in recent weeks, with Otmar Szafnauer and Alan Permane’s departures confirmed at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Alpine laid out a 100-race plan in place to return to the front of the grid - a goal that has looked less likely this year.

Vowles says that Fry was enticed by Williams’ situation and wished to play a role in its progression.

“He understandably had a journey with Alpine that he wanted to continue,” he stated.

“But actually by April, he could see the vision as to why I had joined Williams and was very much in line and on board with that.”