Lewis Hamilton fans hail James Vowles as ‘the best’ person in F1 after heartfelt message to Ferrari star

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James Vowles was a strategist at the Mercedes team before he took over as team principal at Williams. He saw almost all of Lewis Hamilton’s career at Brackley first-hand.

Vowles, who won a world championship at Brawn in 2009, was a founding member of the Mercedes team a year later. Hamilton arrived in 2013 and won six titles in seven seasons between 2014 and 2020.

While Mercedes were dominant in many of those seasons, Vowles’ strategy calls helped them see off the rise of Sebastian Vettel’s Ferrari in 2017 and 2018. He came to be regarded as an elite engineer in his own right.

Williams made a move for him at the end of 2022, bringing his partnership with Hamilton to an end. He’s already one of the most respected team principals in the paddock.

James Vowles calls Lewis Hamilton an ‘inspiration’ and Ferrari driver’s fans applaud

While Vowles faced some initial pain as he overhauled Williams, they’re now enjoying their best season for nearly a decade. With 86 points, they’re on course for an excellent fifth in the championship.

Lead driver Alex Albon is just one place below Hamilton in the drivers’, and while that’s a superb reflection on the Grove outfit, it also highlights how much the seven-time world champion has struggled.

Hamilton hasn’t scored a podium in his first 16 Grands Prix as a Ferrari driver, and there’s a very real chance that 2025 proves to be the worst season of his career numerically.

But in a social media post on Tuesday, Vowles made clear that his admiration for Hamilton has not wavered, writing: “I will always hold fond memories of all the wins and championships with Lewis; he is, and always will be, a source of inspiration for me.”

The driver’s fans were clearly touched, with one writing ‘this is so kind’, and others describing his words as ‘wonderful’ and ‘beautiful’.

“Oh I love you James Vowles,” a separate reply read. He was called a ‘gentleman’ and ‘the best man in this sport’.

Lewis Hamilton just learned his perfect midfield destination if he emulates Sebastian Vettel

Hamilton’s Ferrari contract expires in 2026, though he has the option to extend it for a further year. It will all depend on whether the Scuderia can deliver a contending car next year, and whether he himself can return to his best.

As it stands, it’s hard to imagine the 40-year-old staying beyond the initial term. Neither party will be satisfied with their first nine months together.

• READ MORE: He is the F1 driver who just lost his record for most Ferrari races without a podium to Lewis Hamilton

But if Hamilton doesn’t want to retire from F1 altogether, then he could emulate Sebastian Vettel by dropping to a midfield team (in the German’s case, it was Aston Martin). And Vowles’ comments indicate that he’d be open to the idea of signing him for Williams.

Williams are targeting race wins as early as 2027, so it could give Hamilton a chance to end his career on a high. This is all hypothetical, of course, but the strong relationships the British driver has forged in the paddock may yet be useful.