F1 boss in Mick Schumacher apology after 'FOOLISH' verdict

Williams

F1 boss in Schumacher apology after 'FOOLISH' verdict

Williams team chief James Vowles has clarified his comments on Mick Schumacher

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson Chief Editor

Monday 2 September 2024 16:57

Williams team boss James Vowles has clarified his 'foolish' comments about Mick Schumacher made in the build-up to the Italian Grand Prix.

Williams made the bold decision to remove Logan Sargeant from his seat permanently ahead of the race in Monza, leaving the team looking for a replacement.

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Red Bull junior star Liam Lawson was believed to be one contender for the vacancy, whilst former Haas driver and current Mercedes reserve driver Mick Schumacher was another.

Ultimately, Williams kept things in-house, promoting one of their junior drivers from Formula 2 in young Argentine Franco Colapinto in a shock move.

Mick Schumacher is currently a reserve driver for Mercedes

Williams replaced Logan Sargeant with Franco Colapinto

Why didn't Williams sign Mick Schumacher?

When quizzed about his decision, Vowles gave a rather blunt response as to why he did not decide to go with Schumacher in the end.

“I think we have to be straightforward about this," Vowles said at Monza.

"Mick isn't special, he would just be good."

However, after these comments came out in the media, Vowles was quick to clarify what he had said the next day, calling his own words 'foolish'.

"Where I read the headlines afterwards this morning, what really came across is using the word special in the context of Mick and I really want to clarify what I mean,” Vowles told F1TV.

“I'm not here to put Mick down. Mick is in a world championship team who have chosen him as reserve driver and there's a good reason behind it. That is because he's an incredibly strong candidate.

James Vowles has apologised to Mick Schumacher for his comments

“And the word special? I use it in the context of multiple world champions like Ayrton Senna fundamentally, Lewis [Hamilton] as well. Clearly, that's a foolish thing to do, because that's the comparison.”

Vowles also made it public that he had personally apologised to Mick Schumacher for his comments.

“I've apologised to Mick as well. He didn't request anything, but it's important to me, because he's incredibly close to me, and it just came across entirely the wrong way," Vowles continued.

“So more than anything else, I wanted that to be abundantly clear.

“Don't doubt his abilities, but we as Williams have to go with our Academy. It makes sense what we're doing.”

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