Former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher takes a hard line against the ailing Williams racing team.
“Williams is something like the disappointment of the year,” said today’s TV expert on the “Sky” podcast “Backstage Pit Lane”. “You have the best engine, buy everything and then you’re not able to build a car that’s at least close to the weight. Actually, James Vowles (team boss, editor’s note) should have pulled the ripcord long ago. If you have a carbon man who produces 30 kilograms of excess weight, you have to draw conclusions. That shows that the structure at Williams isn’t good enough.
Vowles had been “there long enough, he should have changed things,” criticized Schumacher. “There are no excuses. It’s one thing that Williams isn’t competing for the World Cup. But being so far away from Alpine… They all have the same chances.”
With regard to Vowles, who moved from Mercedes to Williams in 2023, Schumacher added: “I like him very much, but you have to attest to him that he’s not doing his job properly. In the end, it’s his team and his responsibility.”
Formula 1: Situation at Williams “shocking”
Vowles’ statement that Williams will only be competitive in Formula 1 from 2030 is also not well received by Schumacher. “That’s far too long. As an investor, I wouldn’t have the patience. There’s no justification for that.”
In ex-Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz, Vowles has “a super-experienced driver who came from a big team, brought new things with him and certainly brought the team forward internally,” noted Schumacher.
The status quo was “shocking and a shame for Williams,” said Schumacher in clear words. “I’m always worried that investors will eventually lose interest if they keep following along.”
