Sainz v Colapinto, a ‘whole new dimension’ explains James Vowles

Signing Carlos Sainz just a month before putting Franco Colapinto in the FW46, James Vowles stands by his decision as the former Ferrari driver brings a “whole new dimension” to Williams.

Last season Williams made the blockbuster announcement on July 29th that they’d signed three-time Grand Prix winner Sainz as Alex Albon’s F1 2025 team-mate.

Carlos Sainz brings a ‘new dimension’ compared to Franco Colapinto

Additional reporting by Sam Cooper

The Spaniard said at the time: “The ultimate goal of bringing Williams back to where it belongs, at the front of the grid, is a challenge that I embrace with excitement and positivity. I am convinced that this team has all the right ingredients to make history again.”

However, a month later Williams underwent a driver change when Vowles made the call to drop the under-performing Logan Sargeant, replacing him with Formula 2 driver and Williams junior Colapinto.

Even Vowles accepted he didn’t expect the performances he got from the Argentinean.

Colapinto scored points in two of his first four Grands Prix, and while the latter part of his season was blighted by several big crashes, the 21-year-old showed Williams – and the F1 paddock – that he had the speed to succeed in Formula 1.

Alas, Williams had already confirmed their full line-up for the F1 2025 in Sainz and Albon. But don’t for a moment think it is a decision that Vowles regrets.

Asked about what Sainz had brought to the team since joining in January, Vowles told the media including PlanetF1.com: “A really good way of working with Alex, especially when we look at control systems – so differentials, brake maps, etc.

“It brings a whole new dimension, where Franco, for all of his skill in the car, obviously we were almost teaching him along the way what the control systems do.

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“We now have an expert in it that has won races, and that’s really brought the team up. The same with starts – think of all the ancillary items.

“So not even driving the car, I can just see a dimensional change in how we’re performing, from where we were before to where we are today.”

In fact, such was Sainz’s impact on Williams, Vowles revealed even his very first run in the Williams FW46 last year when he took part in the post-season Abu Dhabi test gave the team clues as to what they needed to improve for 2025.

“It was incredibly useful and powerful having him testing with us in Abu Dhabi, because we were able to understand where our weaknesses lie relative to a car he driven just a few days before that had winning potential, and, more importantly, make sure the direction of travel that we’re in, which I’m pleased to say is correct, was on the right pathway.

“Finally, this one is just a little bit more qualitative, but I see an organisation around me that is smiley, happy, whose shoulders are lifted because they can see a pathway forward towards success, and that very much has Carlos’ and Alex’s name written all over it. So that’s what he brings to it.”

He added: “When he tested in Abu Dhabi, he gave us very good, instantaneous and direct feedback on the aerodynamics. The good news is he is aligned with Alex, and the more good news is they were areas we were targeting for 2025.”

Colapinto has since left Williams to join Alpine with Vowles conceding that would be the best path forward for the Argentinean who is being widely tipped to replace Jack Doohan even before the mid-point of F1 2025.

“So, I believe in Franco,” Vowles said. “I already said very much publicly that I believe, even at the decrement and cost of Williams, that a racing driver that is capable in Formula 1 should be racing in Formula 1. So that’s the first thing.

“With us, we have two incredible drivers that will be with us for at least a couple of years – and maybe up to four years, just depending on where we get to – so there is no room in the inn, as we would say in English.

“For me, Alpine presented the best opportunity for Franco to be a racing driver in ’26 and maybe 2025, and that’s important to me.

“It gives him a great opportunity to still come back to the sport where I believe he deserves to race.”

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