Williams F1 team principal James Vowles offered a humorous recommendation to Carlos Sainz to overcome his streak of bad luck, joking that Sainz might benefit from owning 13 cats, similar to Williams driver Alex Albon’s approach. Vowles also noted that Albon traveled to numerous temples worldwide in 2024 in an effort to reverse his own fortune.
The lighthearted exchange occurred during a team briefing shared by Williams on Instagram on Saturday, where Vowles was joined by drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz. In the video, Vowles describes a recent cycling trip he took with Sainz around the Monza circuit, which ended prematurely due to a bike malfunction after only three laps. He joked about hoping no similar mechanical failures would affect their cars throughout the race weekend.
Sainz admitted his bad luck this year might indeed cause such issues, prompting Vowles to suggest adopting Albon’s unique methods to improve fortune. According to Vowles, this includes temple visits combined with the unusual step of acquiring 13 cats for good luck.
“The next thing what I was gonna say Carlos is this actually is Alex’s area of expertise. He has temples all over the world where he got rid of this last year,” said Vowles.
“It does work. And probably 13 cats is what you have to get as well. There’s a couple of things to help you on the way,” he added.
Williams reviews Carlos Sainz’s Dutch GP penalty after disagreement
Aside from the light moments, Vowles addressed a more serious topic during the briefing, confirming that Williams has exercised their right to review the penalty Sainz received at the Dutch Grand Prix following an incident with Liam Lawson. Both Sainz and Vowles strongly disputed the penalty, prompting the team to analyze the decision closely to understand how it may impact future racing strategies.
Carlos Sainz confident after strong Williams performance in Italian GP practice
Carlos Sainz expressed optimism about Williams’ prospects during the Italian Grand Prix weekend after a promising showing in the two practice sessions on Friday. Driving the FW47, Sainz secured third place in both sessions, highlighting the car’s speed and competitiveness.
After the second practice session, Sainz commented on the car’s performance, discussing its consistency over different runs and the need to improve handling at certain corners and on softer tires.
“The pace is there, we were quick. On long runs, short runs, the balance felt in a decent window but there’s a couple of corners and the soft tyre that we need to sort out,” said Sainz.
“We manage to sort this out and I can get myself a bit more comfortable in the car then hopefully there’s even more to come,” he added.
His teammate Alex Albon also praised the car’s stability and balance throughout the day. Additionally, Williams team principal James Vowles expressed confidence that both the Italian GP and the forthcoming Azerbaijan GP would present strong opportunities for the team’s performance.
Implications of the team’s recent developments and next steps
The humorous suggestion from Vowles reflects a lighter side of the often intense Formula 1 environment, while the team’s review of Sainz’s penalty underlines their commitment to fair competition and clear guidance on race conduct. Meanwhile, the encouraging practice results for the FW47 highlight Williams’ progress and competitive potential heading into critical races at Monza and beyond.
As Williams continues to fine-tune their car and strategies, the focus will likely remain on converting promising practice pace into strong qualifying positions and race results. The team’s performance in the coming events will be closely watched, particularly given the positive outlook shared by both drivers and management.
