A Formula 1 principal has revealed that his team opted against engaging in a "bidding war" to secure a legendary signing.
Williams F1 team has secured their driver line-up for 2025 but having opted for a mid-season switch earlier this year, are no strangers to taking a much-needed risk.
The outfit's principal, James Vowles, has now made it clear however that the team stepped aside early in the process, focusing instead on building a more sustainable future.
“It had nothing to do with the money, although there was a bidding war in the end that we didn’t want to participate in,” Vowles admitted to AMUS.
Vowles was candid about the current state of the Williams team and why they ultimately decided Newey wasn’t the right fit at this stage of their rebuilding process.
“I want people who believe in our project,” he said.
“Williams wasn’t ready yet for someone like Adrian. We still have so much groundwork to do before we can offer someone of his calibre the right environment.
“He would have overwhelmed our team, and that could have had the opposite effect. In the end, he would have been frustrated.
Rather than pursuing a star signing to make a quick impact, Williams is focused on building a strong foundation for the future, with a strong driver line-up of Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon from next season.
“I don’t want to build an infrastructure that depends on just one person,” Vowles emphasised.
“Williams isn’t about me, a driver, or an engineer. It’s going to be a team of 1,000 people working together. That’s what matters.
“You take a short-term loss for a long-term gain.”