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WILLIAMS F1 TEAM PRINCIPAL JAMES VOWLES SPEAKS TO MIRROR SPORT AND EXPRESSES HIS EXCITEMENT ABOUT BEING ABLE TO FIELD AN EYE-CATCHING PAIRING OF ALEX ALBON AND CARLOS SAINZ IN 2025 13:30, 25
Dec 2024Updated 13:33, 25 Dec 2024 James Vowles has explained his eye-catching claim that his Williams team has the best driver pairing on the Formula 1 grid. Alex Albon has been largely
impressive since he signed for the team in 2022, after a year out of the sport. But his team-mates have struggled to deliver - first Nicholas Latifi, and then Logan Sargeant, before an
initial improvement when the latter was replaced by Franco Colapinto earlier this year. In 2025, he will be partnered for the first time at his current team by a seasoned F1 racer. Carlos
Sainz was the highest-profile star available in a very active driver market this year but Williams beat off the competition to land the Spaniard's signature. There are plenty of
impressive driver line-ups on the grid. Lewis Hamilton replaces Sainz to partner Charles Leclerc, while Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are two young superstars who combined to deliver
McLaren's first constructors' title since 1998 this year. READ MORE: Ferrari told Lewis Hamilton 'needs to be loved' as Charles Leclerc reality laid bareREAD MORE:
Jacques Villeneuve announces Sky Sports F1 plan for 2025 season after Damon Hill exit Still, though, Vowles is convinced that his team boasts a pairing that trumps them all. Challenged on
that during an interview with _MIRROR SPORT_ at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix season finale, he explained: "From the outset, what I wanted to do is to bring the very best into this team.
"This is not the old Williams, this is not, 'Let's have pay drivers'. This is, 'Who's the best?' And start talking to them and get them there. The reason
why I call it the best driver pairing is because there's no politics between either of those drivers. Alex and Carlos, neither one is political - they just want to go quick and they
just want to develop the team into a quick team. For where Williams is, that's the right partnership, the right line-up." In Sainz, Williams are gaining a driver who won two races
this season and amassed 290 points - his largest ever single-season total. He won't get near that figure in his first campaign with Williams, but Vowles insists his new signing is
perfectly fine with that. And he is delighted with the attitude shown this season by Sainz, after losing his Ferrari seat to Hamilton. He said: "I started speaking to him in '23,
because whilst the world saw, beginning this year, 'Jesus, he's quick'. Yep, he always has been! Article continues below "I think the maturity it shows to have such a
big, real issue to deal with in that way, and then to come back from it and not just come back from it, reinvent yourself. "I was messaging him [on the Wednesday prior to the Abu Dhabi
event] and he's really excited to get into the car next week and start working with Williams to build us into the team of the future. And that's him, that's how he is.
He's genuine, his head is set on this is where his future is. And I'm good with it, just make it happen." Watch Formula One on Sky Sports This article contains affiliate
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