The departure of Lewis Hamilton from Mercedes will undoubtedly leave a void in the team, but James Vowles, former strategy chief at Mercedes and current team principal at Williams, believes that Mercedes will ultimately emerge stronger from this transition.
Vowles, who played a crucial role in many of Hamilton’s successes at Mercedes, expressed surprise at the timing of Hamilton’s announcement but was not shocked by his desire to race for Ferrari at some point in his career. He sees Hamilton’s move as a positive challenge for the seven-time world champion and for the sport as a whole.
While Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff faces the daunting task of finding a replacement for Hamilton, Vowles trusts that the team will navigate this challenge effectively. He believes that Mercedes will rebound and become stronger as a result of this change, despite the short-term challenges it presents.
“It is still the most successful team in Formula 1 – Williams is the second-most successful team in Formula 1 – and that can’t be ignored. It’s the hardest thing you do, for every human in the world, to move from where you’re comfortable to where you’re not challenges you and pushes you to the limit.
“And that’s Lewis all over. So the fact he’s doing it, I actually think it’s good for the sport. It’ll be good for Lewis, because he’ll learn from it and he’ll challenge himself.”
Regarding speculation about his own star driver, Alex Albon, potentially filling Hamilton’s seat at Mercedes, Vowles emphasized that Albon is committed to Williams until the end of 2025. He clarified that any reports suggesting otherwise are mere speculation, reaffirming his focus on creating an environment at Williams that is deserving of a driver of Albon’s caliber.
