James Vowles warns of 'DIFFICULT' two weeks for Williams

James Vowles, Williams, Bahrain, 2023 — Photo: © LAT Images

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Vowles warns of 'DIFFICULT' two weeks for Williams

The team have performed exceptionally well in recent races

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Saturday 16 September 2023 11:57

Williams team principal James Vowles has warned his team that the next two weeks (at the Singapore Grand Prix and then in Japan) are likely to be 'difficult'

The team have performed brilliantly in recent races, and Alex Albon's performances in particular have helped Williams to rise up to seventh in the constructors' championship.

Albon has managed to scored all 21 of the team's points this season, and his last two qualifying performances, starting fourth at the Dutch GP and sixth in Monza, have really highlighted the progress the team have made since 2022.

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Vowles has been a big part of that progress having taken over as team principal at the end of last year, and has seen a rise from back markers to a team that has a 10-point gap to nearest challengers Haas in eighth.

Now, Vowles has warned against the team getting complacent going into two races that aren't expected to be good for Williams.

"It's going to be a difficult two weeks," he said during the team's pre-Singapore huddle.

"It's going to be two weeks where we're all away from our families, it'll be tough on many of you. I'm really proud of what you're all achieving this year, and I'm really happy on the journey we're on together and going on into the future."

Optimism for the future

Could we see Albon on the podium for Williams anytime soon?

Although Albon's performances have been supreme this season, the form of his team-mate has not been up to scratch.

The American rookie Logan Sargeant is yet to score a point in F1, and it has yet to be decided whether or not they will retain him for next year, or take a different route.

The problem is, if they are to keep on improving they need two drivers who can finish in the top 10 regularly, in order to close the gap to the likes of Alpine, McLaren and Aston Martin.

Sargeant will need to use these next eight races to prove that he can be the man for them going forward, particularly with there being a lot of optimism about their 2024 car.

"There are some good things coming for next year's car in the wind tunnel, and some good direction that we're going in at the moment so there's every reason to be optimistic and positive," Vowles continued.

"In the meantime, we need to pick up every point that we can here [in Singapore]."