After four years of a podium drought, Williams finally stood on top of a long-awaited podium at the 2025 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Carlos Sainz, who had a strong qualifying and race, joined Max Verstappen and George Russell on the podium with a P3 finish – a first for the team since the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix. Team Principal James Vowles looked back at that very moment and the growth of the British team this season.
A shift from operating in survival mode
After a formidable rebuilding period for the team, a podium after four years marked a significant milestone; ahead of the 2025 Singapore Grand Prix, Vowles opened up about what this milestone represented internally and how it reflects the structural changes within the organisation since his arrival in 2023.
“I’m incredibly proud of Williams because it’s a team that has such a fighting passion and spirit inside it, but it was just surviving for so many years,” Vowles said. “Even when I turned up, it was still in that survival mode.”
A shift behind the scenes
After years of disappointing results and immense behind-the-scenes effort, the team’s “survival mode” was mirrored in their racing in the last years, as they worked to understand the challenges they faced.
Under Vowles’ leadership, Williams has undergone a steady transformation, not only in its operations but also in its mindset; while the podium finish was a significant achievement for the race team, the team principal emphasized the emotional impact it had on the factory staff as well.
“The reward wasn’t just seeing the mechanics and Carlos and Alex [Albon], who was right by my side for the podium. The reward was taking the trophy back to reception in the factory. I went down every hour or so to see 50 or so people there. Emotional — tears, crying, laughter, happiness. It meant the world to them. And it meant the world to me.”
A result that definitely acted as a morale boost and validated the direction the team has been heading toward in the last two seasons. “It’s belief. It’s not my words anymore that are required. They can see it, breathe it, live it at the same time.”
Sainz delivers at a crucial moment
Sainz, who joined the Grove-based team at the start of 2025, had a challenging period to get the ground running. His start with the team wasn’t smooth sailing. Despite showing pace, often out-qualifying Albon, his performances on Sundays were repeatedly compromised by strategy missteps, mechanical setbacks, or race-day execution.
Vowles noted that while Sainz’s speed has never been in question, the timing of this result was significant.
“Any podium comes at a good time, but definitely it was a point in the season where… it’s hard to put down exactly in words what has happened this year because it’s no one thing. He has performance. He can out-qualify Alex, but it never came together in the race.”
“It was a really good moment and an opportunity to show why we put our trust and faith in him — and vice versa.”
As the 2025 season enters its final stretch, the goal for Williams is no longer survival but to continue validating their progress on track.
