26/05/2025 07:20
Toto Wolff shared a text message Williams team principal James
Vowles sent him during the Monaco Grand Prix to apologise for the
strategy employed by the Grove-based squad. In an ultimately
successful bid to secure a double points finish in Monte Carlo,
Carlos Sainz and then Alex Albon backed up George Russell and Kimi
Antonelli during the 78 lap race. In doing so, it afforded both
FW47 drivers the necessary time to complete their two mandatory pit
stops and stay in the final two points positions, where they
remained at the chequered flag. Growing fed up with the tactics
used by Williams pair , Russell passed Albon by cutting the
Nouvelle Chicane, a move that earned him a drive-through penalty
from the stewards. Antonelli followed suit, but handed back the
position when informed of the punishment his team-mate had been
given. It was a ploy Vowles was not happy about committing, but the
Briton maintained it was a consequence of the regulations - and the
Racing Bulls ahead starting the team play. "'I'm sorry. We had no
choice given what happened ahead'," Wolff said, reading the text
sent by Vowles aloud to media including RacingNews365 . "I
answered: 'We know'," explained the Mercedes team principal. Whilst
it made for a frustrating afternoon for Wolff, the 53-year-old
insisted his Williams counterpart was only doing what he "had to
do" to ensure a double points-paying result. "James is one of my
guys, and I don't want to sound patronising, because he's making a
career as a team principal, and he's doing really well," the
Austrian replied when asked if he appreciated Vowles reaching out.
"He had to do it, you know, it's two cars in the points, and I
think that what started it [all] was the RBs [Racing Bulls] that
pegged us back off, and that's what he had to do."
