P1racenews AI automatic summary:
James Vowles has admitted he wanted to stress the Williams infrastructure to the point of “breaking” ahead of the 2024 Formula 1 season.
The offseason ahead of the 2024 campaign was Vowles’ first at Williams, as he became the Team Principal in 2023, inheriting an already developed car. Vowles and Chief Technical Officer Pat Fry faced challenges with an outdated design and manufacturing process, including the surprising use of an Excel spreadsheet for tracking car parts. This led to a stressful production process for the 2024 car, prompting the need for organizational and technological changes. Despite difficulties, Vowles sees it as a valuable learning experience that will help Williams progress in the long term. Looking forward, Vowles is focused on the pending regulation reset in 2026, aiming for sustained success rather than short-term fixes.
