Williams: Sainz and Albon to push each other without 'politics'
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Williams team principal James Vowles has expressed his full confidence in the dynamic between new teammates Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz, dismissing any concerns about internal politics within the team.
Sainz, a four-time grand prix winner, joins the Grove-based team from Ferrari after being replaced by Lewis Hamilton.
His arrival bolsters Williams' lineup alongside Albon, who has established himself as the team's leader in recent years. Despite the potential for rivalry between the two talented drivers, Vowles is adamant that harmony will prevail.
"One of the elements that are great with Carlos and Alex is that neither one has any politics, they don't have a political bone, they just want the car to be quick and they want to perform the best that we can within that environment," Vowles told Motorsport.com.
A Collaborative Effort
Albon has consistently outperformed his teammates since joining Williams, and while Sainz's pedigree could challenge the Thai driver's standing as the team's leader, Vowles believes both will work collaboratively to push Williams forward.
"They both know the challenges of '25, but the real crux of it is looking forward to what we have in 2026 together," he continued.
"So what I'm expecting is insights into where we're strong during the week to what I already believe and what Alex already believes."
According to Vowles, both drivers bring leadership and professionalism to the team, qualities he believes will be instrumental in helping Williams progress.
"What I'm expecting is leadership that with just a few words is able to lead the team in the right direction as we're moving forward as an organisation.
"What I'm expecting is an individual that will give me everything when any given race begins, because we're here to make this team successful."
Albon Welcomes the Challenge
The decision to recruit Sainz was not without Albon's input. Vowles highlighted the latter's maturity and leadership, praising his encouragement of Williams' efforts to secure Sainz's services.
"What I love about Alex is he's a leader," Vowles explained. "When things get difficult, he pulls forward, irrespective of what the circumstances are, and lifts the team back up to emotional strength.
"He was the one encouraging us to get Carlos into the building because he's not worried about a challenge, he wants us to be successful."
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After a challenging 2024 season, the Williams chief expects Albon to reset and return stronger in 2025, drawing motivation from Sainz's arrival.
"He's had a frustrating year himself. Reflecting on all that, Alex is the driver that I know he can be, and I think next year he'll reset, start again and he'll be strong from the beginning."
Sainz and Albon Free to Race
Vowles also confirmed that Sainz and Albon would be free to race each other on track, provided they maintain respect and avoid any clashes.
"What I see with Carlos, does he fight hard? Yes. But is it clean? Also yes. It's very clean racing," the Briton explained.
"They're not doing it by knocking the wheels off each other's cars. They're doing it by, if one of them is faster than the other one, they can race."
©Williams
While Williams values fair competition between its drivers, the team boss emphasized that results take precedence over individual ambitions.
"What I've always had a rule of is, it's fair to race. It's no problem to race, but you don't hit each other, you don't push each other off track," he said.
"You do it as a sportsman, you do it clean, respecting the brand that you're representing."
Clean Yet Hard-Fought Battles
Vowles cited Sainz's history of clean yet hard-fought battles with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari as evidence of the Spaniard's professionalism, acknowledging that some radio disagreements in the heat of the moment are to be expected.
"When I look at [Sainz and Charles Leclerc], there was some radio jibber-jabber across the last few races. That's normal. One driver will always be frustrated by what it is," he explained.
"But as long as you create the right environment where they know this is the way we can race each other… And there will be points where I say, you can't.
"We need to bring this result home. Because the result is more important than where you individually finish. That's a very different situation to be dealing with."
Vowles is optimistic that the pairing of Albon and Sainz will elevate Williams as the team strives to climb further up the grid.
"If you have two drivers pushing each other, it's typically that you're getting the absolute most out of them," he added.
"What is great about Carlos is, despite his future being different to what it is today, you're seeing Carlos fight for everything. And that's one of the strengths he has."
As Williams prepares for its next chapter, the team principal is confident that the combination of Albon's resilience and Sainz's fighting spirit will serve as the foundation for sustained progress in 2025 and beyond.
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