Vowles guarantees: 'Williams will not be a mini-Mercedes'

James Vowles promises that under his leadership, Williams will not become a B-team of Mercedes. With Vowles' appointment, there were question marks over Williams' independence, but by Motorsport Vowles stressed that people need not worry about that.

Williams and Mercedes have had a close partnership for some time. Currently, Williams receive the engine and gearbox from Mercedes. In addition, George Russell spent three years with the British team to prepare him for his eventual move to Mercedes. With the announcement that Vowles is swapping his position as chief strategist at Mercedes for that of team boss at Williams, the line seems to have become even shorter.

But Vowles wants nothing to do with that. "Williams is a completely separate organisation," he stressed. "It is a completely independent team with their own history and legacy. There will still be a collaboration with Mercedes, as there was before I joined. But from here on, I will do what is best for Williams."

"We are not going to be a B-team," Vowles continued his explanation in conversation with Auto, Motor und Sport. "Williams will not be a mini-Mercedes. We will stand completely on our own two feet."

Toto Wolff also does not expect that his former strategist's arrival now means Williams will become a satellite team. "If I were ever to ask James to side with Mercedes, he would tell me to get lost," the Mercedes team boss is quoted as saying by Racer. "There was always speculation that Williams was some kind of subordinate to us, but that is not true. We have never interfered in the choice of drivers and have always understood the team's authority. Therefore, James is going to do what is right for the team."