Toto Wolff dubs Williams’ James Vowles “lucky bas****” with playful post-race gift

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff sent James Vowles a congratulatory gift after Williams secured their first podium under his leadership.

Carlos Sainz finished third at the 2025 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, scoring Williams’ first top-three finish since 2021.

Sainz finished third entirely on merit, converting his incredible qualifying performance – second on the grid – into a rostrum appearance.

It also marked Williams’ first top-three finish under Vowles’ leadership.

Vowles joined the team from Mercedes at the start of 2023.

Already, the Grove-based outfit has enjoyed a remarkable turnaround under his leadership.

Vowles, who played an instrumental role in Mercedes’ dominance as a strategist, received a cheeky gift bag from his former boss.

Wolff sent Vowles a bottle of champagne, with the bag labelled “lucky bas****”.

Vowles will remember Sainz’s podium “forever”

Williams’ podium might come as a surprise, given their total focus is on 2026 and nailing the new technical regulations.

Despite their focus on next year, Williams sit comfortably in fifth in the constructors’ championship, and are on course for their highest finish since 2017.

For Sainz, it’s been a mixed first season with the team.

While Sainz has shown flashes of pace, he’s struggled to bag any big results compared to teammate Alex Albon.

Vowles is hopeful that this “positive momentum” continues as they look to move up the grid.

Vowles wrote on his X account: “I’ve been fortunate to have a few podiums in my career, but this is one I’ll remember forever. We earned this together as a team - a team that, in recent years, has been at the back, fighting just to survive, and now has battled its way back into this position.

“Carlos delivered a phenomenal race — an exceptional drive from start to finish, and a joy to watch. You could see and hear just how much it meant to him.

“I believe in positive momentum, and this gives Carlos a real foundation to build on. With Alex, sometimes you just have those days. He absolutely had the pace — we’ve seen it all weekend — but after that early incident in Qualifying, it was always going to be difficult. Still, he fought back and finished close to the points.

“For now, I can’t wait to get back to the factory on Monday with the trophy and feel the roof come off the place. This result is a reward for the incredible dedication of the entire workforce, who give so much of their lives to this team.”