While most Formula 1 team principals unwind after a gruelling season, Williams boss James Vowles heads straight back to the racetrack – but this time, behind the wheel. The 46-year-old, hailed as a rising star in the F1 paddock, has successfully guided his team from the back of the grid to a strong fifth place in the 2025 Constructors' Championship. Yet, his competitive fire burns beyond the F1 garage, leading him to a triumphant return to GT3 competition.
From Pit Wall to Podium: A Double Victory in Abu Dhabi
Merely one week after watching Lando Norris clinch the Drivers' Championship at the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Vowles was back at the Yas Marina Circuit for a very different challenge. He competed in the demanding Gulf 12 Hours, sharing the No. 8 McLaren 720S GT3 with teammates Alexander West, Marco Pulcini, and Mark Sansom for the Garage 59 team.
The squad enjoyed a highly successful outing. Vowles and his co-drivers qualified first in their class and an impressive fourth in the Pro-Am category, before converting that strong starting position into a first-in-class victory during segments of the marathon event. On social media, an elated Vowles celebrated the team's "really strong qualifying" and noted his personal achievement of being the fastest 'bronze'-graded driver in his qualifying group.
More Than a One-Off: A Revived Racing Passion
This was not a mere novelty for the Williams team principal. Vowles has a history with Garage 59, having contested four rounds of the 2022 Asian Le Mans Series with them, where he scored championship points. To shake off the rust for his first race in three years, he undertook a dedicated two-day test at Spain's Circuito de Navarra between the Italian and Azerbaijan Grands Prix earlier in the 2025 F1 season.
Driving the McLaren 720S GT3 Evo, Vowles admitted he was "rusty to start" but was delighted with the progress made. He described the unique mental shift required, stating he had to "hang up most of my engineering brain and focus on driving - and loved every second."
Balancing Acts and Future Prospects
The big question now is whether Vowles will extend his racing revival into the 2026 season and beyond. His primary focus remains firmly on Williams and the team's continued progress, especially with a major overhaul of F1's technical regulations on the horizon. These new rules present a golden opportunity for the Grove-based squad to solidify its return as a regular podium contender.
For now, Vowles has proven that the intense pressure of leading an F1 team can coexist with the raw thrill of competitive driving. His class victory in Abu Dhabi stands as a testament to his skill behind the wheel and his unwavering passion for motorsport in all its forms.
