“Nowhere”: Steiner criticizes Vowles after “boastful” statements

(Motorsport-Total.com) – Günther Steiner believes that Williams team principal James Vowles could be on the chopping block if the team does not make the desired progress and achieve the desired results in 2027 as well.

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Vowles had led Williams from the back of the field to the midfield after taking over the team principal position and achieved the best final result since 2017 with fifth place in 2025. However, everything for the Englishman was geared towards the new regulations in 2026, where they wanted to work their way back towards the front. “And where are we? Nowhere,” Steiner says in the podcast Starting Grid.

The reality is different: instead of achieving the hoped-for podiums, Williams repeatedly fails with both cars at the Q2 hurdle and can only leave Cadillac and Aston Martin behind. There has not been a single top-10 result in qualifying yet.

According to Steiner, the problems continue even within this season. He quotes Vowles somewhat flippantly: “‘Yes, we have a bit of excess weight, we will get rid of that. I already have all the emails on how I will do it. To do better, the upgrades are coming.’ – But instead of moving forward, it goes backward,” he criticizes.

The upgrades have so far not had an impact and have not moved Williams forward. On the contrary: in the last three qualifying sessions, one car always got stuck in Q1, and one car always retired in the race. Most recently, at the double-header in Spielberg and Silverstone, they did not get beyond 17th place in either the sprint or the race.

Can Williams still move forward?

“They have to take a step forward,” says Steiner, but he is unsure who Williams can still catch in terms of pace. The former Haas team principal does not believe the team will catch Audi (who are actually behind Williams in the championship): “Audi is making clear progress.”

“Therefore, the only ones they could still catch are Haas, who are also a bit stagnant at the moment,” he sees at most his former team within reach. However, Haas already has ten more points in the championship – and they are already 48 points behind the Racing Bulls ahead.

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Williams can practically write off the 2026 season as a disappointment and place their hopes on 2027 – but then the team must deliver, otherwise it could get tight for Vowles, Steiner believes: “If next year the car is not good, or next year the car is not there as predicted for ’26, then I think James Vowles is also on shaky ground.”

“You also have to handle expectations well and not say: ‘I’m doing everything right now, just give me one or two years,'” he emphasizes.

Is Williams losing Carlos Sainz?

And if Williams also falls short of expectations in 2027, then the loss of Carlos Sainz threatens, whom Vowles had enticed to the team with big promises. The Spaniard is already being linked with Audi, where he would meet Mattia Binotto, an old ally from Ferrari days.

The Formula 1 drivers 2027

“I know the family well. They always look at everything,” Steiner knows. “I believe if there was an alternative for Carlos that was better than where he is now, he would take it. But at the moment, it just isn’t there for him.”

Audi is currently still staffed with Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. But what is not yet can still become, according to the South Tyrolean: “Mattia Binotto brought him to Ferrari back then. And Mattia Binotto is now team principal at Audi. One plus one is usually two, right?” he says. “The relationship is still good, and these relationships don’t die.”

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