Mercedes boss Toto Wolff despatched James Vowles a congratulatory reward after Williams secured their first podium underneath his management.
Carlos Sainz completed third on the 2025 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, scoring Williams’ first top-three end since 2021.
Sainz completed third solely on advantage, changing his unimaginable qualifying efficiency – second on the grid – right into a rostrum look.
It additionally marked Williams’ first top-three end underneath Vowles’ management.
Vowles joined the workforce from Mercedes initially of 2023.
Already, the Grove-based outfit has loved a outstanding turnaround underneath his management.
Vowles, who performed an instrumental function in Mercedes’ dominance as a strategist, acquired a cheeky reward bag from his former boss.
Wolff despatched Vowles a bottle of champagne, with the bag labelled “fortunate bas****”.
Vowles will keep in mind Sainz’s podium “perpetually”
Williams’ podium would possibly come as a shock, given their whole focus is on 2026 and nailing the brand new technical rules.
Regardless of their deal with subsequent yr, Williams sit comfortably in fifth within the constructors’ championship, and are heading in the right direction for his or her highest end since 2017.
For Sainz, it’s been a combined first season with the workforce.
Carlos Sainz
Whereas Sainz has proven flashes of tempo, he’s struggled to bag any large outcomes in comparison with teammate Alex Albon.
Vowles is hopeful that this “constructive momentum” continues as they appear to maneuver up the grid.
Vowles wrote on his X account: “I’ve been lucky to have a couple of podiums in my profession, however that is one I’ll keep in mind perpetually. We earned this collectively as a workforce – a workforce that, in recent times, has been on the again, combating simply to outlive, and now has battled its method again into this place.
“Carlos delivered an exceptional race — an distinctive drive from begin to end, and a pleasure to look at. You would see and listen to simply how a lot it meant to him.
“I consider in constructive momentum, and this provides Carlos an actual basis to construct on. With Alex, typically you simply have these days. He completely had the tempo — we’ve seen all of it weekend — however after that early incident in Qualifying, it was all the time going to be troublesome. Nonetheless, he fought again and completed near the factors.
“For now, I can’t wait to get again to the manufacturing facility on Monday with the trophy and really feel the roof come off the place. This result’s a reward for the unimaginable dedication of your entire workforce, who give a lot of their lives to this workforce.”
