Williams team principal James Vowles has predicted a tricky F1 São Paulo GP for the British team, stating that they must deliver on car performance to be in a good position for 2026.
Vowles has sights set on 2026
Asked about the final four races in a Q&A-style video for the Williams YouTube channel, Vowles highlighted the importance of finishing the 2025 season with consistency to prepare the team for next year.
“For me, it’s about setting the foundations right for 2026,” he said. “We need to make sure that our communications, our operations, the way that we’re really extracting performance from the car trackside and points is an improvement over where we are before.
“It gives us an opportunity across these four races to do exactly that. Of course, we’re still fighting for fifth in the championship, but that will come as long as we’re delivering on car performance.”
Vowles acknowledged that the upcoming F1 São Paulo GP in Brazil will likely throw up some tricky conditions for Williams, who currently sit fifth in the constructors’ championship. With 39 points separating themselves and Racing Bulls in sixth following the F1 Mexico City GP, it could be all to play for in what Vowles has described as some difficult weekends on the horizon for Williams.
“First and foremost, what I’m looking for in the sprint race weekend in Brazil is clean execution across perhaps what’s going to be difficult conditions and making sure we walk away with the maximum points the car can; two drivers in that position of fighting for points,” he said.
“Las Vegas, I think, will be a very good event for us and that’s all about maximising the potential of the car.
“Going through into Qatar, where I think actually we could struggle a little bit more, but that’s a good learning lesson. We have to be competitive at tracks like that going forward into 2026. So we’ll try a different setup direction to achieve it.”
Vowles: F1 field will be closer than ever in Abu Dhabi
Vowles predicts a tight end to the season, though, with every team delivering maximum performance for the final race. The F1 Abu Dhabi GP often includes a mix of strategy and some high-strung driving, since there will be titles on the line. All this, for Vowles, only points towards the importance of having a clean race.
“And then finally into Abu Dhabi, where I think you’ll find the field is probably the closest it’s ever been all year,” said Vowles. “And again, that’s about clean execution down to the millisecond.”
