“Most people are secretly Williams fan”: 9x F1 champions’ resurgence has been appreciated by fans, states James Vowles

Williams Racing have undergone drastic changes in the 2023 season. With Alex Albon driving phenomenally for the past few races, the team is currently P7 in the constructors championship.

Going into the 2023 Hungarian GP with high hopes, team principal James Vowles stated that most fans are enjoying Williams' recent resurgence. He told the Budapest crowd at the F1 Fan Forum:

“Most people are secretly Williams fan.”

Vowles also believes that Alex Albon has what it takes to push Williams forward. He heaped praise on the Thai-Briton for how he has performed in and out of the car during his time with the team.

Vowles described Albon's performance at the recent Canadian GP as "the drive of a champion." Speaking on the "Beyond the Grid" podcast, Vowles said:

“He’s a funny chap, but I called him [after Canada] to explain to him that was a drive of champions. I’ve worked with a good number of them and it really was.

He further stated:

“He didn’t put a foot wrong at the point where he’s under pressure from four incredibly fast-charging cars behind on tyres that were in a much better state than his. Some of the work he was doing on repositioning his car, on the exit of [Turn 10] and a few other corners, was very clever.

Alex Albon finished seventh at the Canadian GP and showed some exceptional defensive driving. Albon also acts as a good critic to the team that has helped get better with every race.

Albon will be hoping for a points finish at the Hungarian GP on Sunday.

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The resurgence of Williams Racing in the 2023 season

William have been the F1 world champion nine times between the 70s to the 90s. However, once considered a giant in the racing world, Williams have been on a steady decline over the past few years, struggling to make it out of the last position in the constructors championship.

Since their acquisition by Dorilton Capital in August 2020, Williams have made a lot of progress.

James Vowles took over as team principal ahead of the 2023 season, with former Red Bull Racing driver Alex Albon hopping on board. So far, he has claimed three points finishes despite a bad winter session that saw the team prepare the FW45 without a Technical Director.

Talking about what Albon brings to the table, Vowles said:

“He’s definitely bringing the car to the limit of its performance, which is what you’re looking for out of a driver. I think he’s very underrated and I’m incredibly happy that he’s here within our organization today.”